United Nations A/63/PV.11

General Assembly Official Records Sixty-third session

11th plenary meeting Friday, 26 September 2008, 9 a.m. New York

President: Mr. D’Escoto Brockmann ...... (Nicaragua)

In the absence of the President, Mr. Hausiku Now, if the Assembly will permit me, I should (Namibia), Vice-President, took the Chair. like to continue in my native language.

(spoke in Montenegrin; interpretation provided by the The meeting was called to order at 9.05 a.m. delegation)

Address by Mr. Filip Vujanović, President As the youngest United Nations Member, of Montenegro Montenegro has left its mark on the international scene. It gained its statehood centuries ago and The Acting President: The Assembly will now democratically restored it in 2006. For us, statehood hear an address by the President of Montenegro. represents political freedom, but also political Mr. Filip Vujanović, President of Montenegro, was responsibility. Both are qualities that we look for and escorted into the General Assembly Hall. find in the United Nations: in the spirit of its Charter, and in the promotion of mutual respect and equality The Acting President: On behalf of the General among nations and peoples. Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United Nations His Excellency Mr. Filip Vujanović, President Multilateralism lies at the core of the of Montenegro, and to invite him to address the international system and inspires strong motivation and Assembly. commitment. That is why the United Nations provides a reliable framework for maintaining international President Vujanović: It is my honour and peace and security, strengthening democracy, pleasure to welcome the election of Mr. Miguel protecting human rights and freedoms, respecting d’Escoto Brockmann as President of the General international law and fostering the economic and social Assembly at its sixty-third session. I wish him great development of all States. success in carrying out that complex, responsible and challenging task. I would also like to express my Today, the world Organization is going through a sincere gratitude and great respect to Mr. Srgjan process of necessary reform prompted by great Kerim, President at the sixty-second session, for achievements, but also by some setbacks, and even successfully leading the Assembly during his tenure. In failures. Montenegro supports a process of pragmatic addition, I would like to pay tribute to the Secretary- reform at the United Nations. As a small State, we are General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, and to emphasize our full particularly interested in strengthening the authority of support for his efforts to strengthen the position of the the General Assembly and other main United Nations United Nations as a valuable factor in resolving the bodies. issues on the ever-expanding international agenda.

This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the interpretation of speeches delivered in the other languages. Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room C-154A. Corrections will be issued after the end of the session in a consolidated corrigendum. 08-52272 (E) *0852272* A/63/PV.11

The Security Council lies at the heart of the faced by countries in transition affect the dynamics and overall reform process and needs to be transformed quality of the way we tackle other issues, thus making taking into account equitable regional representation, the implementation of the Millennium Declaration transparency and improvement in its working methods. imperative. Therefore, the development needs and Montenegro supports intergovernmental negotiations. priorities of the African countries, discussed at length We are undoubtedly faced with a very challenging and during the 22 September high-level meeting, require complex process, but one to which Montenegro will urgent global solidarity and support. strive to contribute. Montenegro fully supports United Nations efforts Respect for human rights and freedoms, to resolve the problems caused by the energy crisis, improvement of minority and faith-based rights and the especially rising food prices worldwide. We also fully strengthening of good-neighbourly relations will support the intention of the Secretary-General and of continue to be the foundation of our national stability, the United Nations to focus the attention of the as well of regional stability. Our engagement at international community on vital issues such as food national, regional and international levels is therefore prices and food security, in addition to the issues of focused on the rule of law and the fight against climate change and the MDGs. The reason behind this corruption and organized crime. is obvious: everyone is affected and is hence committed to solving those problems. This year we mark the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The In the light of that, we agree with the proposed Declaration is still vital and applicable. We are fully United Nations action in the multilateral framework. dedicated to its implementation and determined to We commend the recent adoption of the Rome uphold its values and principles. In support of that, Declaration on World Food Security, and strongly Montenegro has presented its candidature for believe that integrated international action is the best membership of the Human Rights Council for the response. period 2012-2015. As an ecologically concerned State, Montenegro As the achievement of the Millennium cherishes an interactive relationship between the Development Goals represents one of the key environmental aspects of the protection of natural objectives of United Nations policy, it is only natural resources, on the one hand, and the production and that small and developing States, such as Montenegro, distribution of organic food on the other hand. should be resolved to make a concerted effort towards Furthermore, Montenegro encourages the creation of those goals. Aware of all the challenges in an international trade environment that favours small- implementing that agenda, Montenegro shares the scale producers and developing countries. Public- Secretary-General’s opinion that yesterday’s high-level private partnerships on specific projects, as one form event contributed positively to the increased of cooperation between my Government and United commitment to realize the goals that have been set. Nations agencies in the field of energy efficiency, are also of special importance for us. Challenges that we are facing today, including political problems, hotspots, blatant violations of Montenegro has many reasons to be satisfied with human rights and freedoms, proliferation of weapons the dynamics and results of its ongoing reform of mass destruction, terrorism, environmental processes. Promotion of democracy, equality and degradation and climate change, require an adequate tolerance among States and peoples has been and will response and decisive action. We believe that no continue to be our political doctrine. We are motivated effective or lasting response is possible without joint by a desire for stability and economic and cultural action by the entire international community. development, and we demonstrate this in practice in our relationships with neighbours and regional Countries in transition, such as our own, have partners. It is also a basis for Montenegro’s progress in relevant experience and are strongly motivated to offer European and Euro-Atlantic integration. continuous support to the implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, in the light of the forthcoming Our European Union (EU) and NATO agenda is International Conference on Financing for based on the principles of democracy, a functional Development, to be held in Doha. Economic challenges market economy, efficient institutions and the rule of

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A/63/PV.11 law. In the process of integration, special emphasis is President Préval (spoke in French): Just one placed on the dynamics and time frame in which our year ago (see A/62/PV.6), I recalled before this progress is being achieved — in all areas, including Assembly that I was bringing the words of a people political, legislative, economic and public administration who for 200 years have experienced extreme suffering reform. as a result of all kinds of material privation and complete vulnerability in the face of natural risks and This year, Montenegro joined the Union for the disasters. Mediterranean. We appreciate the support offered by our EU partners and other members of that significant At that time, I hardly thought that I would find initiative. Montenegro stands ready to make its myself here again one year later against the backdrop contribution and to take an active part in the of the image of hundreds of children, women and the revitalization of the projects within that initiative. elderly swept away by floodwaters, hundreds of thousands of citizens suddenly finding themselves Montenegro is taking a step forward in its without shelter, tens of thousands of tons of security policy, centred on multilateral cooperation, agricultural harvest destroyed in a few hours, not to with the aim of creating a legislative framework for the mention the incalculable damage to basic infrastructure deployment of our police, military and civilian such as communication networks, art works, irrigation personnel to United Nations peacekeeping missions. systems, the electricity grid, the water system and other Montenegro contributed to similar missions more than structures. 100 years ago, in the nineteenth century, and we are now preparing to implement our commitment again in I am pointing out that those catastrophic events order to meet the current needs for fostering peace and occurred just four months after the first angry democracy. demonstrations of the population against the explosion in food prices, reactions that would be repeated on an In conclusion, I would like to reiterate the almost global scale, as though to express a collective commitment of Montenegro to contribute to the cry of the poor regarding what was happening beyond strengthening and promotion of the United Nations in just a global food crisis, as the rejection of an order for our common effort to identify adequate responses to which the poor had too long been the only ones to pay multifaceted challenges the world faces today. the cost. The Acting President: On behalf of the General The damage caused four consecutive hurricanes Assembly, I wish to thank the President of Montenegro in less than two months has set Haiti back several for the statement he has just made. years. Those hurricanes sorely test our capacity to Mr. Filip Vujanović, President of Montenegro, was resist, particularly when it must be borne in mind that escorted from the General Assembly Hall. all those victims, and their families, and all those

businesses, large or small, have to fend for themselves Address by Mr. René Garcia Préval, President of the while they wait for the State, and the State alone, to Republic of Haiti help them to get back on their feet or return to business. There are no adequate market insurance The Acting President: The Assembly will now systems to compensate for the losses arising from that hear an address by the President of the Republic of enormous damage. Haiti. I cannot thank the Secretary-General enough for Mr. René Garcia Préval, President of the Republic the great outpouring of sympathy that the United of Haiti, was escorted into the General Assembly Nations system has shown towards the people of Haiti Hall. following those disasters. I can hardly express The Acting President: On behalf of the General sufficient thanks for the mobilization organized by the Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United United Nations agencies on the ground to bring help to Nations His Excellency Mr. René Garcia Préval, the most vulnerable and assist the affected families to President of the Republic of Haiti, and to invite him to tackle the most urgent problems. address the Assembly. How can I thank the many friendly countries that so quickly mobilized their own resources and logistics

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A/63/PV.11 to come to the aid of the Haitians? How can we express alone — really alone — in the face of new disasters, to our gratitude in the light of those expressions of see as if in a ritual, the same mobilization exercises. compassion and the numerous initiatives of solidarity I am concerned because the Haitians risk finding coming from civil society and the private sector in themselves alone in ensuring the only real task that those same friendly countries? needs undertaking today: that of rebuilding the country. Just as dark clouds have a silver lining, how We must rebuild its production capacity and social could I not recall that huge solidarity movement from fabric and give our young people a new dream, the within even our country, involving civil society and poor new hope, and our citizens of all political leanings non-governmental organizations, not to forget, of and all social strata new confidence. We need a course, the millions of Haitians living abroad, in an reconstruction project thought out in a systematic unprecedented mobilization, all striving to work approach and able to count on genuine solidarity to together in synergy with the local authorities and mobilize the necessary resources for its specialized agencies of the central Government. implementation. Despite the suffering that the Haitian people are That is why we are sceptical with regard to enduring today because of the cumulative effect of the imported food aid and the traditional way in which it is disasters that befell them, I cannot help turning my carried out. We have to break this paradigm of charity thoughts to our neighbours, countries such as Cuba, the in our approach to international cooperation, for Dominican Republic, Mexico, our brother nations in charity has never helped any country to emerge from the Caribbean Community and even some States on the underdevelopment. southern coast of the United States that have also The Native Americans that lived in our country suffered considerable damage as a result of those first and the Africans that replaced them helped a large part hurricanes of the season — and I stress, the first of humanity to amass its current wealth. We are simple hurricanes of the season. How can we not remember workers who have been moulded by hard labour and either the sight of the disasters that have struck India, blessed with a keen sense for commerce and creating Bangladesh and other regions of the Asian continent? businesses. However, beyond those calamities that we could, If the international community wants to do quite easily, attribute to nature, how can we ignore something useful with Haitians, that would be to help other disasters for which we humans are directly us use our potential. The liberalization of trade can be responsible through war and the destruction that we beneficial to humanity, particularly to the poor, who bring about with such determination in various areas of have the ability to produce for a greater market. But the world? To all citizens of those countries affected by this liberalization must be done without hypocrisy or the violence of men and by natural disasters, to their duping anyone. It must be carried out on the basis of families and their representatives here at this clear, transparent rules that are the same for everyone, Assembly, on behalf of the Haitian people I address my and the powers that promote them must begin by best wishes for courage in their reconstruction efforts respecting those rules themselves. and in their quest for peace and happiness. And I can assure them of our feeling of solidarity and fraternity Setting up and maintaining genuine productive in that effort. capacities and trading under fair conditions are the initial conditions that would enable poor people to While I salute that huge wave of generosity escape from the chains of poverty. The day when towards my country and am grateful for that solidarity, development aid aligns itself with these criteria, the recognizing it was necessary for the immediate needs fight against poverty and hunger will really turn a of those affected, I cannot fail to draw attention to the corner in this world of ours. concerns that it raises for Haitians. I am worried because I know how deep-rooted our problems are. I We will then see that the poor are not as poor as am concerned because I am apprehensive about the all that. We will see that they have available to them time when that solidarity, exhausted in the first wave of assets that political parties, institutions and cooperation humanitarian compassion, will leave us, as always, programmes are not sufficiently making use of. We all realize that the lands and the unregistered houses the

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A/63/PV.11 poor possess and the informal businesses they are and arriving at political stability and a fully involved in are also capital that can legitimately functioning rule of law. circulate in the economy and participate in the creation This Assembly is among those to whom fate has of new wealth. entrusted the destiny of our planet. The world that is This system simply has to be formalized. And we being remoulded around us is a world in which wealth have to give property title to those who own those and poverty can no longer be confined within closed lands and those houses. We also have to formalize this spaces, separated by impassable borders. Climate trade. I have begun discussions with some of our change has no borders. Viruses and diseases are elusive partners to move quickly to a thorough evaluation of undocumented visitors. The hunger of the poor is a new needs created by the damage to our infrastructure threat and will continue to threaten the happiness of the with a view to developing a comprehensive rich. reconstruction plan, which will serve as the conductor The question that we have to collectively ask for cooperation efforts with our country. ourselves today is this: will we perish together because Last Tuesday, on the occasion of the opening of we were not able to take up our mission together with the general debate of the sixty-third session of the courage, or will we agree to mobilize for a new plan General Assembly (5th meeting), I listened very for humanity under a new form of governance, one that carefully to the opening statement of the President. The is responsible and based on solidarity, in order to save creation of the United Nations was an important our beautiful planet, and to give our children the conquest in the history of mankind’s struggle to find a opportunity to build a better world? remedy for poverty and to build a world of peace based The Acting President: On behalf of the General on equality and respect for everyone’s rights. The Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Republic Organization remains the privileged place for debating of Haiti for the statement he has just made. the problems of our world and for allowing the voices of the poor and of those left behind to be heard. We Mr. René Garcia Préval, President of the Republic cannot allow its work to be hindered by its inability to of Haiti, was escorted from the General Assembly take into account the voice of the majority. We cannot Hall. allow its agencies to exist only for themselves, relegating to second place their primary mission of Address by Mr. Kalkot Matas Kelekele, President of service. the Republic of Vanuatu

I agree with the President that our Organization The Acting President: The Assembly will now needs profound reform so that it becomes more hear an address by the President of the Republic of effective, more transparent and genuinely democratic. Vanuatu. If it fails to accomplish this, the United Nations risks Mr. Kalkot Matas Kelekele, President of the being resented by the small and derided by the big. We Republic of Vanuatu, was escorted into the do not need that in these difficult and uncertain days, General Assembly Hall. when our planet is being put to a severe test by a combination of crises of all kinds, multidimensional The Acting President: On behalf of the General crises whose solution will depend on our collective Assembly, I have the honour to welcome to the United capacity to deal with them effectively, equitably and Nations His Excellency Mr. Kalkot Matas Kelekele, with solidarity. President of the Republic of Vanuatu, and to invite him to address the Assembly. The announced high-level dialogue on the democratization of the United Nations, if approached President Kelekele: It gives me extreme pleasure with courage and determination, will put us on the road to extend my congratulations to Mr. Miguel d’Escoto to changing its structures and its way of functioning. Brockmann on his election. I read with keen interest Such reforms can only be a source of inspiration and a the United Nations news report of His Excellency’s model for small countries, stricken like us by long- election as President of the General Assembly at its standing difficulties, for ending institutional fragility sixty-third session. I note well what he said on 4 June this year, following his election (see A/62/PV.99): for

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A/63/PV.11 the United Nations to be more effective, it must be peoples that continue their struggle for freedom and to what its name implies — an organization of nations win a permanent place among us. The United Nations united, not nations dispersed or, even worse, is the Organization of the family of independent subjugated. Our nations must be united in the struggle sovereign nations and peoples of the world. It must to democratize the United Nations, united in their stand firm to promote peace, security and equality determination to preserve the world for the sake of throughout the world. present and future generations from the scourge of war The world’s majority has accepted the among Member States, and from acts of aggression. phenomenon of climate change as a reality and no I congratulate him and the Vice-Presidents on longer an academic theory. From Kyoto to Bali, that their election to lead the General Assembly. I believe observation has been consistently repeated. that Mr. d’Escoto Brockmann’s election, as a leader in The increase in the occurrence of natural his own right, as a Christian priest and as a God- calamities and their destructive powers are a stark fearing servant of the Republic of Nicaragua, to the reminder of the increasing vulnerability of today’s presidency of the Assembly is timely in these global environment, where nature respects no challenging days. boundaries. The severe impact of natural disasters will May I also extend my appreciation to His constantly remind us of the harsh experiences and Excellency Mr. Srgjan Kerim for his successful leadership critical development challenges confronting many of of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session. the island countries. I am deeply honoured to be the first President of I join my colleagues from the Pacific region in the Republic of Vanuatu to address this Assembly, our call to the international community for more since it is the first time that a Head of State of Vanuatu concerted action in addressing climate change as a has attended the United Nations since our admission to security issue. Unless the present trend of global the Organization in 1981. In this respect, please allow warming is reversed through sincere and concerted me also to extend my congratulations to the Secretary- international action through the United Nations General on his appointment and on his keen framework, some of our Pacific colleague nations will commitment to revitalizing the United Nations. be submerged. If such a tragedy should happen, then the United Nations and its members will have failed in I am humbled and privileged to stand before the their first and most basic duty to a Member and its sixty-third General Assembly to share some words and innocent people, as stated in Article 1 of the Charter of thoughts on behalf of the people of Vanuatu. Twenty- the United Nations. seven years ago, on 15 September 1981, Vanuatu became the 155th Member of the United Nations In 2003, Vanuatu’s economic growth rebounded family. On that same day, our first and longest-serving to 3.2 per cent from -2.6 per cent and -7.4 per cent in Prime Minister and the founding father of our nation — 2001 and 2002 respectively. Continued growth was the late doctor, chief and priest, Father Walter Hadye recorded in 2004 and 2005, with a published growth Lini — spoke to the Assembly in the name of the rate of 5.5 per cent and 6.8 per cent respectively, people of Vanuatu, with pride, humility and gratitude. driven mainly by growth in the service sector and, in He acknowledged the support of the United Nations particular, tourism. through the active concern and assistance of the As members know, a dimension of the least Special Committee of 24 on Decolonization. developed country (LDC) status is the tri-annual Father Lini said that, because of that, the United review by the Economic and Social Council of the list Nations has a very special place in the affections and of least developed countries with the view to esteem of the people of Vanuatu. He also expressed our recommending countries for graduation out of or nation’s debt of gratitude to a great number of the inclusion in the group of least developed countries. It countries represented in the Assembly, which assisted is in that regard that I wish to bring to the attention of our nation’s difficult progress towards independence. our Assembly to an area of serious concern to the Governments of Vanuatu and of several other small In the same spirit I call on the United Nations to island developing States of the Pacific. continue to pursue the interests of those countries and

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It is our view that the current graduation rule “island paradox” — when relative prosperity poses a systemic issue that could easily be resolved if overshadows high vulnerability — continues to be Member States were willing to recognize its disregarded, despite the repeated call for a reform of importance to countries such as Vanuatu and other the graduation rule that would make low vulnerability Pacific nations. The decision to graduate a country a sine qua non or compulsory criterion. from LDC status, in our view, must imply the This is not the first time that Vanuatu, in recognition of undisputed sustainable socio-economic addressing the Assembly, has called on the United progress in the country. The criteria the United Nations Nations to reform the way least developed countries relies on to arrive at a decision are by and large sound are identified. Some 11 years ago, in 1997, a former and fair, and I will briefly recall them: first, one Prime Minister called for an urgent review of the LDC expects the country to enjoy a higher income per graduation criteria, which brought the United Nations capita; secondly, the country’s human assets or human to introduce a vulnerability criterion, a fair and sound capital is expected to have made significant progress; move on the part of the Organization. and thirdly, the country ought to have achieved greater resilience to external shocks — in other words, to have I reiterate Vanuatu’s plea for a reform of the become less vulnerable economically. graduation rule and wish to point out that the reform we are calling for is a mild and reasonable one, one A country is recommended for graduation if it that could easily be adopted by the Economic and meets any two of those three criteria. In other words, Social Council and the General Assembly without the graduation rule implicitly postulates that all three altering the main components of the established criteria are equally important. If a country, no matter methodology. We believe the time has come for the how vulnerable, has risen to a level of per capita United Nations to come full circle by making the same income above $900, which is not difficult in a small criterion a superior one, so that no highly vulnerable State, and enjoys improved human capital, it is country is forcibly reclassified and bound to lose the assumed that that country has become structurally level of concessionary support of which it remains in stronger and is now ready to pursue its development need. Such a reform would do justice to countries that efforts without LDC treatment. have not achieved the implied structural progress. Vanuatu and other Pacific countries believe it is We are also urging experts from the Committee critical to recognize the vulnerability criterion as the for Development Policy to seriously consider the merit paramount criterion and accordingly give it of undertaking in-country visits to assess first-hand the prominence. It is indeed the only criterion that development experiences of affected countries rather ultimately matters to small and vulnerable States such than making conclusions on statistical indicators that as ours. are anomalous and theoretical. Vanuatu and other Pacific countries are deemed In 2004, the Government of Vanuatu established eligible for graduation on the basis of their improved its Millennium Development Goals (MDG) National per capita income and improved human assets. They Committee, which adopted a plan of action to remain among the most vulnerable countries in the implement the MDGs. In its first report, in 2005, the world, both economically and environmentally, and MDG National Committee concluded that Vanuatu’s that must be recognized by the United Nations. Our outlook for the achievement of the MDGs or their countries may graduate from LDC status because they respective targets was poor to fair. That can be have achieved a higher per capita income performance, attributed to poor linkages to Government priorities even though the sustainability of that income is and inadequate allocation of resources to implement constantly challenged by the high vulnerability of the plan of action. island economies to shocks such as frequent cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and sea-level rise. Nevertheless, we are pleased to report that in collaboration with the United Nations Development The recent hurricanes in this part of the world Programme, Vanuatu is endeavouring to put in place remind us of the destructive impact that such natural mechanisms to operationalize its sector strategies by phenomena have on the development process of island identifying key issues and the required interventions to countries and LDCs. Members may be aware that the address them, and defining the coverage of

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A/63/PV.11 interventions and their costing. We believe that, if we prophet Micah and is engraved on the walls of United succeed in doing that, we will be able to accelerate Nations Headquarters: progress on the MDGs and that, come 2015, Vanuatu “They shall beat their swords into will be able to provide a more positive report to the ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Assembly. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, At the Millennium Summit, the then Prime neither shall they learn war any more” (The Holy Minister of Vanuatu, The Honourable Barak Sope Bible, Micah, 4:3). Maautamate, called on the United Nations to review It is no coincidence that the theme for this the legality of the United Nations action in 1962 to Assembly is a much clearer manifestation of those endorse the New York Agreement to administer the prophetic words, which the United Nations has so-called Act of Free Choice over West Papua. neglected over the years. As one of the smallest The Charter of the United Nations espouses the Members of the United Nations family of nations, principles that continue to guide the Organization’s Vanuatu reaffirms its commitment to building global efforts in the process of self-determination. That peace and security. We also remain committed to manifestation calls for recognition and respect for the supporting United Nations peacekeeping missions as fundamental and inalienable rights of peoples and our modest contribution to that worthy cause. territories still under colonial rule to determine their Finally, we welcome 2009 as the International future. We cannot champion democracy if the United Year of Reconciliation. We all hope and pray that it Nations continues to hang this blanket of silence over will be a time for real compromises and political the case of West Papua, in which the United Nations goodwill. We encourage all members of our family of itself takes part. nations to approach 2009 with open hearts. If we are to An issue of extreme national importance is the turn the tide of tension and animosity, we must have question of submissions to the United Nations on the the courage to reconcile our differences and come extension of continental shelves. As with some other together in those dimensions that will enhance this smaller nations, technical capacity constraints and noble Organization’s role in peacebuilding and financial resources have inhibited our progress on development. submissions, and therefore we are requesting that the In closing, I would like to express the United Nations consider extending the deadline for Government of Vanuatu’s gratitude to all our submissions to enable countries like Vanuatu to development partners who have generously contributed participate fully in the process. We call for the to Vanuatu’s development efforts. In particular, we understanding of our development partners and urge wish to thank Australia, China, the European Union, them to consider providing funding for that important New Zealand, Japan, the United States of America and exercise. France. We would also like to acknowledge the support A side issue to the question of the extension of of other partners, including India, Turkey, South Korea, continental shelves in relation to Vanuatu is that there Malaysia, Indonesia and Canada, as well as such is a dispute between Vanuatu and the French Republic, multilateral institutions as the World Bank and the the former colonial authority, concerning our Asian Development Bank, and other United Nations continental shelves to the south of the nation. agencies. On the question of reforms at the United Nations, Mr. Baugh (Jamaica), Vice-President, took the we believe that, in order to make the Organization truly Chair. democratic, reforms are essential to make the Security We are living in perilous times. In our Father’s Council more representative of the membership as a hands were we created, and to the hands of the leaders whole. In that respect, we believe that Japan and India of the world He has entrusted the responsibility to deserve permanent membership. ensure a world safe and just for all His peoples and At this critical moment of global crisis, I recall children. The world’s destiny is in our hands. That the aphorism underpinning the foundations of the must be our inspiration. United Nations. It is taken from the book of the great

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May God bless the United Nations. May God The sixty-third session of the General Assembly bless the sixty-third session of the General Assembly. is taking place at a time when the people of Burundi May God bless us all. are at last enjoying the end of the war between the Government army and the Parti Libération du Peuple The Acting President: On behalf of the General Hutu-Forces nationale de libération (PALIPEHUTU- Assembly, I wish to thank the President of the Republic FNL). The representatives of both parties have been of Vanuatu for the statement he has just made. sitting at the same table since May, seeking to identify Mr. Kalkot Matas Kelekele, President of the the ways and means to implement the Comprehensive Republic of Vanuatu, was escorted from the Ceasefire Agreement signed in Tanzania on General Assembly Hall. 7 September 2006. Allow us to also thank the

international community, the United Nations, the Agenda item 8 (continued) African Union and the Regional Peace Initiative on Burundi for their participation in the return of the General debate leaders of the PALIPEHUTU movement to Burundi. Address by Mr. Gabriel Ntisezerana, Second We also take this opportunity to call on that movement Vice-President of the Republic of Burundi to commit itself resolutely to the peace process, in particular by ending its practice of forcing local The Acting President: The Assembly will now populations to supply its fighters. For its part, the hear an address by the Second Vice-President of the Government of Burundi reaffirms that it will spare no Republic of Burundi. effort to ensure progress in the peace process. Mr. Gabriel Ntisezerana, Second Vice-President This session is taking place three years after the of the Republic of Burundi, was escorted to the establishment of democratically elected institutions in rostrum. our country, and it is the first time in our history that The Acting President: I have great pleasure in an elected Government has lasted more than three welcoming His Excellency Mr. Gabriel Ntisezerana, years. This is an important stage in democracy. The Second Vice-President of the Republic of Burundi, and people in general and the Government in particular inviting him to address the General Assembly. welcome that milestone. Mr. Ntisezerana (Burundi) (spoke in French): At Thanks particularly to the support of the the outset, I would like to join previous speakers, on Peacebuilding Commission, the Government of behalf of His Excellency Pierre Nkurunziza, President Burundi has just launched, throughout the country, of the Republic of Burundi, and our entire delegation, dialogue frameworks between the socio-political in offering our warmest congratulations to Mr. Miguel partners of Burundi: the leaders of political parties, d’Escoto Brockmann on his outstanding election to the members of Parliament, civil society and the media. presidency. We congratulate the other members of the They exchange views on the current challenges to our Bureau as well. country in order to reach a consensus on the way democracy should function in Burundi. In the We would also like to pay well-deserved tribute framework of promoting a sound justice system and to his predecessor, Mr. Srgjan Kerim, for the skill and national reconciliation, the Government will soon wisdom with which he guided the work of the General organize nationwide elections on the machinery for Assembly at its sixty-second session. We also take this transitional justice. opportunity to congratulate Mr. Ban Ki-Moon once again on the skill and dynamism with which he is Our Government is firmly committed to guiding our Organization. We would also like to pay respecting human rights in all their forms. That is no special tribute to his tireless devotion to the cause of easy task in a country that recently emerged from a peace and development in Burundi as we attempt to civil war that lasted more than 15 years. Nevertheless, consolidate peace and stability. a number of measures have been taken and others are under way. An independent national human rights Finally we wish to thank the United Nations commission and a national children’s forum will soon Integrated Office in Burundi. be launched. Additionally, a new criminal code providing for severe punishment for gender-based

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A/63/PV.11 violence is before Parliament, which is now up and anti-corruption brigade is now operating. The public running normally. In the same vein, the Government oversight body is playing its role and we welcome the has established human rights focal points in all considerable contribution made by civil society ministerial departments and is providing training in organizations. that area and in peace education. Burundi welcomes the ratification of the Pact on I note that in Burundi, security is generally good Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes throughout our national territory, but we are Region by nine members of the International encountering certain forms of insecurity linked to Conference on the Great Lakes Region. We will, of attacks and killings as a result of armed robbery and course, pursue measures to ensure that all member land disputes. In order to control that phenomenon, the States ratify the Pact. Government has begun to disarm the civil population. We recall that Burundi joined the East African That is a very important and difficult measure, Community (EAC) in July 2007. As I address this particularly because there is a large number of weapons Assembly, nine Burundian members of Parliament in private hands. We are convinced that, unless those represent my country in the Legislative Assembly of weapons are taken out of circulation and destroyed, the Community. That integration represents certain peace and security will always be under threat. We challenges for the people and Government of Burundi, therefore count on the support of our development particularly with respect to the imminent creation of a partners to recover all weapons and munitions, common market and a customs union, to culminate in particularly once the PALIPEHUTU-FNL combatants the establishment of a political federation. We take this have completed the integration process. opportunity to express our gratitude to the States Indeed, although our country is arduously members of EAC, which understand the difficulties recovering from the devastating effects of civil war, its facing a country emerging from conflict, such as gross domestic product remains among the lowest in Burundi, and have implemented measures to assist our the world. The purchasing power of the population has integration. Of course, we also count on the support of fallen and inflation has risen apace, particularly given our development partners to help us in all areas of the international phenomenon of the generalized integration that we consider to be strategic for the increase in the price of food and oil products. political stability and development of the countries of the subregion. In a different vein, we recently organized a national housing and population census that will Maintaining peace and security is a multidimensional provide us with reliable data, without which it would task subject to the many challenges that our Organization be difficult to carry out sustainable development is called upon to address. These include conflict projects. The results of the census will allow the prevention and resolution, combating terrorism, Government to improve the drafting of school and combating the illicit trade in small arms and light health policies, to which we pay particular attention, as weapons and combating poverty, hunger and disease, evidenced by the measures already taken to establish including the HIV/AIDS pandemic. free health care for children under the age of five and The United Nations is mobilizing many efforts women at childbirth, as well as free basic education. and resources to meet those challenges. While it is true The Government has negotiated and launched that considerable progress has been achieved, our macroeconomic and structural reforms that our Organization still has much to do, because the way development partners support. Those reforms are forward is still long. We should also point out that aimed at macroeconomic stabilization, the privatization bloody conflicts and hotbeds of tension remain, of State enterprises, and bank and monetary including in Somalia, Darfur, Iraq, Afghanistan and the management that is compatible with sustainable Middle East, et cetera. Terrorism is gaining ground all growth. the time and is causing more death than conventional war. But we should not be discouraged. On the The Government is determined to fight corruption contrary, our Organization must demonstrate the and tax fraud, and to promote real transparency in the capacity to prevent this type of conflict and provide management of public wealth. Allow me to recall that effective remedies for the ills threatening humanity. an anti-corruption law has been enacted and that an

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In the name of international solidarity, Burundi our era. Long live international solidarity. Long live has decided to make its modest contribution towards the United Nations. resolving some of those crises, by providing military The Acting President: On behalf of the General observers and police officers in Darfur and Côte Assembly, I wish to thank the Second Vice-President of d’Ivoire, and to military peacekeeping contingents in the Republic of Burundi for the statement he has just Somalia in the framework of operations established by made. the African Union. Mr. Gabriel Ntisezerana, Second Vice-President Burundi enthusiastically welcomed the global of the Republic of Burundi, was escorted from the challenge represented by the Millennium Development rostrum. Goals (MDGs), which were adopted in 2000 and reaffirmed in the 2005 World Summit Outcome Address by Mr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, Chief Document (resolution 60/1). We are pleased to report Adviser of the Caretaker Government of the that, through its policy of free primary education and People’s Republic of Bangladesh health care for children under five years and women in childbirth, Burundi is achieving successes that deserve The Acting President: The Assembly will now support. While thanking those countries and peoples hear an address by the Chief Adviser of the Caretaker who have been of such great help to us since the launch Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. of the policy in 2005, we would like to call for Mr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, Chief Adviser of the international solidarity, because the policy requires Caretaker Government of the People’s Republic considerable Government resources that our country of Bangladesh, was escorted to the rostrum. cannot acquire on its own. The Acting President: I have great pleasure in Indeed, the World Solidarity Fund for the welcoming His Excellency Mr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, promotion of social and human development and the Chief Adviser of the Caretaker Government of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria People’s Republic of Bangladesh, and inviting him to do exist, but unfortunately, despite those initiatives the address the General Assembly. results are still modest. We therefore appeal to developed countries that have not yet done so to keep Mr. Ahmed (Bangladesh): Let me begin by their promise to allocate 0.7 per cent of gross national congratulating Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann on his income to official development assistance. well-deserved election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-third session. I would like to Special attention should be given to problems thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his very including putting order into the international financial effective leadership in promoting global peace, security markets, the need to increase investment in Africa, the and development. rational management of water and energy resources, technology transfer, international trade agreements, I take this opportunity to deliver this statement climate change and the management of toxic waste. also on behalf of the least developed countries (LDCs). This has been a difficult year for many LDCs, amid It is more urgent than ever to harmonize the rising food prices and a looming economic slowdown. procedures and instruments for achieving our common But we have remained resolute in confronting the crisis in objectives, including efforts to counteract hunger, a spirit of mutual understanding, support and cooperation, reduce poverty worldwide and to ensure peacebuilding. as enshrined in the United Nations Charter. Otherwise, we will witness the persistence of phenomena including the tragedy of clandestine My statement today will address three emigration, the brain drain, heightened crime and other interrelated issues: food security, democracy and ills. development. These issues are inextricably linked to one another and are of fundamental importance to the In closing, I wish to say that we hope that a welfare of the citizens of Bangladesh as well as other minimum of political will and strengthened LDCs. international solidarity will enable the United Nations to find appropriate solutions to the scourges affecting We have witnessed during the course of this year an extraordinary rise in food and energy prices, which

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A/63/PV.11 has undermined the food security of many least underprivileged and that, in future, our democracy developed economies. This experience should ensures the good of all Bangladeshis. Our fight against strengthen our resolve to look for long-term solutions corruption has been the first step in a long and difficult leading to a world free of hunger. In the twenty-first process, and we believe that the work will continue century, food security for all citizens in the world must under the auspices of the Independent Anti-Corruption be acknowledged not just as a development imperative, Commission, which was created as an institutional but as a moral imperative. Each and every human life bulwark against corruption. Legal action was initiated is sacred, and it is our collective duty to provide against corrupt individuals, but we never compromised adequate food and nutrition to people throughout the due process and judicial independence. world. The foundation of a democracy rests on a The recent global rise in food prices has been compact between the State and its citizens. That begins acutely felt in Bangladesh, even though imports by ensuring that each and every eligible citizen can account for a very small percentage of our total cereal vote, freely and without fear, and that each and every consumption. Domestic rice prices spiked by nearly vote is counted. To that end, my Government has 60 per cent during the year through February 2008, completed the monumental task of electronically against the backdrop of two devastating floods and a registering over 80 million voters with photographs tropical cyclone that destroyed one of our key harvests. and fingerprints. That was achieved in just 11 months For a country like Bangladesh, where roughly 40 and is a feat that I believe is without precedent per cent of the population lives below the poverty line anywhere in the world. Our Election Commission and where poor households spend as much as trained over 500,000 election workers, deployed over 70 per cent of their income on food items, such a steep 10,000 laptop computers, webcams and fingerprint increase in food prices has had significant adverse scanners and set up over 90,000 registration centres to effects on food security, poverty alleviation and human ensure that every eligible voter could have his or her development. photograph and fingerprints digitally captured. Multiple layers of safeguards were put in place to Food insecurity can disrupt the core of a ensure that the new voters list was flawless. democratic polity and derail its development priorities. The cost of food insecurity is measured not only by In addition to creating a world-class photo voters deprivation, but also by increased instability, which list, we issued national identity cards to all those who can be very costly for a society. While the free market registered. The Election Commission, with the remains an incomparably powerful tool for the efficient newfound independent authority granted to it by our allocation of resources, markets are often imperfect, Government, completed that task in record speed with and no Government can stand idle and hope that the the support of the Bangladesh army. Our armed private sector will resolve a food crisis. Making food services personnel — many of whom have shown their available to all, and at affordable prices, remains a deep and abiding commitment to the ideals of the cardinal responsibility of all Governments. In United Nations through their service in United Nations Bangladesh, we took this responsibility very seriously peacekeeping operations — provided critical logistical and delivered rice to our citizens through a public support. Their experience, we believe, could be distribution system, in an effort to ensure that no one invaluable to supporting and strengthening democracy went to bed hungry. in post-conflict environments. Our success with the voters list was the result not just of civil-military Soon after assuming office in January 2007, our cooperation, but also international cooperation. We are Government announced a road map for holding a truly deeply appreciative of the technical assistance of the democratic and meaningful election. That was no easy United Nations Development Programme for that task, as decades of corruption had seriously project and the financial support of our development undermined both our democracy and our economy. partners. Corruption’s ill effects corroded our vital public institutions, and the cost was ultimately borne by the An election is only the first pillar of democratic ordinary citizens of Bangladesh, who could ill afford it. governance. During the past 20 months, my My Government is determined to ensure that Government has relentlessly worked to shore up corruption does not imperil the rights of the democracy’s other pillars. We have made the judiciary

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A/63/PV.11 fully independent. My Government has established the binding commitment on mitigation. International National Human Rights Commission to protect and efforts to minimize emission levels should not, promote the fundamental rights of all our citizens. We however, disproportionately tax poorer nations. We have enacted a right to information law, which will must have guaranteed access to appropriate mitigation help provide the transparency that is necessary to a technologies and know-how on affordable terms. We well-functioning democracy. We have, in consultation strongly feel that the post-Kyoto agreement should set with the political parties, amended and strengthened up a technology transfer board, in order to ensure that the Representation of People’s Order, under which the least developed nations have access to affordable, forthcoming elections will be held. That law and eco-friendly technologies. Bangladesh will not be able regulations under it will require the registration of to attain sustainable development without appropriate political parties for elections, ensure intra-party technological support in that regard. democracy and implement campaign finance reforms We would not have discussed the food crisis issue that will limit the influence of corrupt money in our here in the Assembly, if we had believed that it was a political system. one-off event. The crisis will revisit us, perhaps with Just last month, the Bangladesh Election greater intensity and frequency, unless we put in place Commission organized the successful holding of some both short- and long-term measures to prevent its local and mayoral elections. That marked a new recurrence. Many of us in the developing world were beginning in our electoral process, and our citizens deeply encouraged when the Secretary-General were able to exercise their franchise without undue responded to our urgent request for a high-level task influence of money or muscle power. The elections force to address the current food crisis. It was also were held without disruption and drew an timely and appropriate that the Food and Agriculture unprecedented number of voters. Let me reiterate here Organization of the United Nations convened the High- that my Government is fully committed to holding free Level Conference on World Food Security in Rome in and fair parliamentary elections on 18 December 2008, June 2008. The Conference afforded us the opportunity as announced last week. We are confident that all to deliberate on systemic and non-systemic issues that political parties will participate in the elections. exacerbated the current food crisis. Few nations face the challenges that we face in Bangladesh, as representative of the least Bangladesh for mere survival. Our development gains, developed countries, also urged the Secretary-General achieved through the work of years and decades, can to look into the possibility of creating a global food be wiped out in a matter of hours. One cyclone can bank. We suggested that the food bank could allow push hundreds of thousands of people back below the countries facing a short-term shortfall in production to poverty line. Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to borrow food grains on preferential terms. Once they climate change, given that we are a low-lying delta in overcame the shortfall, those countries could return the one of the highest rainfall regions of the world. There quantum to the food bank. We could also explore the is growing concern that an irreversible climatic shift possibility of determining special drawing rights for will displace tens of millions of our people. By some each country, using criteria such as population, level of estimates, a one-metre sea-level rise would submerge poverty and annual variation in their level of food about one third of the total area of Bangladesh. Given production. Such an arrangement would allow us to our population and its vulnerabilities, that would result prevent hoarding and price gouging by speculators in in the greatest humanitarian crisis in history. Inaction is anticipation of, and during, a food crisis, and we simply no longer an option. It is nothing less than a believe that a mechanism can be put in place to guard basic moral imperative that countries that have against any moral hazard issues that might arise. contributed little to this crisis, such as Bangladesh, not Since the adoption of the Brussels Programme of be left alone and unsupported to suffer the most from Action in 2001, LDCs as a group, have made some its consequences. progress in their macroeconomic performance and on a Adaptation is necessary, but it may not be few social indicators. The progress is, however, sufficient to cope with the unavoidable impacts of insufficient and uneven. More important, their climate change. Countries like Bangladesh will face economic growth has made only a little dent in poverty. the worst consequences in the absence of a legally LDCs continue to face serious structural hurdles in

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A/63/PV.11 their development efforts. They remain acutely Caretaker Government of the People’s Republic of susceptible to external economic shocks and natural Bangladesh for the statement he has just made. and man-made disasters. Mr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, Chief Adviser of The The full and effective implementation of the Caretaker Government of the People’s Republic Brussels Programme of Action has now become an of Bangladesh, was escorted from the rostrum. even greater necessity. However, it is unlikely that we will achieve the overarching goals of the Programme of Address by The Right Honourable Pushpa Action and the MDGs, unless international Kamal Dahal “Prachanda”, Prime Minister of commitment to the LDCs in the areas of aid and trade the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal is fully delivered. The Acting President: The Assembly will now The Brussels Programme of Action will conclude hear an address by the Prime Minister of the Federal in 2010. The General Assembly is in the process of Democratic Republic of Nepal. preparing for the fourth United Nations Conference on The Right Honourable Pushpa Kamal Dahal the Least Developed Countries, to be held towards the “Prachanda”, Prime Minister of the Federal end of the current decade. The upcoming conference Democratic Republic of Nepal, was escorted to will provide an important opportunity for LDCs and the rostrum. their partners to review critically past performance, especially in the areas of failures and weak The Acting President: I have great pleasure in implementation. That will help us develop a new, welcoming His Excellency The Right Honourable action-oriented strategic framework for the next decade Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda”, Prime Minister of to assist the LDCs in their development efforts. I call the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, and inviting upon Member States to extend full and effective him to address the General Assembly. support for the successful holding of the next United Mr. Dahal “Prachanda” (Nepal): At the outset, Nations conference on the LDCs. allow me to congratulate Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Bangladesh is in the midst of a profound change Brockmann on his election as President of the General that we believe is also relevant to people all around the Assembly and to assure him of my delegation’s full world, especially to those fighting poverty, corruption cooperation in discharging his responsibilities. I also and underdevelopment. As with any process of change, thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive it is not without setbacks and will take time to report on the work of the United Nations (A/63/1) and complete, but in the end we remain confident of our his positive reference to the situation prevailing in success. Our goal is to strengthen democracy in Nepal. Bangladesh, and my Government has done everything It is, indeed, a historic opportunity for me to in its power over the course of the past 20 months to address this Assembly as the first Prime Minister of work towards that end. Nepal, the newest republic of the world. As I stand I have spoken about the remarkable achievement here in front of the global leadership, I think of the with our voters list, which will ensure that the elections long struggle that I and my party waged with single- this December and every election thereafter can be free mindedness for the liberation of the common man from and fair; and I have also discussed some of the the clutches of the age-old suppression, deprivation, fundamental institutional reforms that we have marginalization and outright negligence of the undertaken to bolster the foundations of democracy. previously existing polity. My fellow countrymen and Many countries around the world are in their own ways women, toiling in the mountains and valleys, working going through similar processes, and we hope to share day and night in the lowlands and the urban areas and our experiences in order to help them, as we ourselves yet unable to ensure even the simple necessities of life have benefited from the support of the international for their families, had a hope and expectation that one community and organizations like the United Nations day they would lead a decent life with equal rights and Development Programme. opportunities and be recognized as respected citizens of the country. The Acting President: On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the Chief Adviser of The

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We are at that significant turning point in the partnership with the international community in political history of Nepal, and I and my party are proud creating an atmosphere for unleashing a new socio- to be the leading force of that positive historical economic transformation, for which the Nepalese change. Today, I see a great hope in the glinting eyes of people have so long been waiting. the Dalit boy from the far west, the downtrodden Nepal’s peace process is unique in its woman from the indigenous nationality in the east, the characteristics and is based on multiparty democracy, homeless Tharu girl, the landless Madhesi and other inclusiveness, accommodation, dialogue and the peasants from the hills living under thatched roofs. I recognition of the people as the ultimate arbiter. It is intend to lead them with conviction and sincerity in a the outcome of our own creative disposition towards new journey of sustainable peace and equitable peace, and we feel that it can also serve as a reference progress in a modern Nepal. I have, therefore, the model for peace elsewhere. honour and great privilege of bringing with me to the Assembly the greetings and best wishes of the people We appreciate the continued support of the and the Government of that new Federal Democratic United Nations for the peace process, especially in Republic of Nepal. monitoring the management of arms and personnel through the United Nations Mission in Nepal. The Following the Comprehensive Peace Agreement United Nations Mission has undertaken its mandated in November 2006, after a decade-long armed struggle, tasks well. I also take this opportunity to thank our we began our peace process and eventually held neighbours, friends and donors for their continued elections to the Constituent Assembly in April this support in favour of the peace process and the year. People overwhelmingly voted for my party and institutionalization of democracy in Nepal. I am made us the single largest political party in the confident they are doing so to unleash Nepal’s Assembly with great hope and expectations. At its first development potential, in accordance with the wish of meeting, the Constituent Assembly declared Nepal a the Nepalese people. federal democratic republic, formally ending the 240- year-old monarchy and creating a new opportunity to As we proceed in the peace process within the transform the old feudalistic State into an inclusive and country, new problems in the form of the global food federal new Nepal. That was in keeping with the long- crisis, rising oil prices and imminent danger from standing aspirations of the Nepalese people. They climate change stare us in the face. Those challenges voted in favour of the change and transformation that also undermine our achievement of the Millennium my own party had fought for over so many years. After Development Goals (MDGs). There will be no success the historic political transformation, our agenda now is in achieving the MDGs without ensuring that they are to bring about an equally historic socio-economic achieved in the least developed countries. Solemn transformation of the country. pledges were made in the 2000 Millennium Declaration and at the 2002 International Conference on Financing Today, I must report with all humility that our for Development held in Monterrey. Many of those Constituent Assembly is the most inclusive representative commitments are yet to be fulfilled and the body, of which all marginalized, oppressed ethnic achievement of the Millennium Development Goals communities, indigenous nationalities, Dalits, the remains elusive to most of the world’s poor people. disadvantaged and people from the backward regions and communities are members, which will herald a new The United Nations agenda today has to tackle beginning in the country. That may very well be an those development challenges and many other issues, example of representativeness to the world in the first such as religious extremism, terrorism, the decade of the twenty-first century. proliferation of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction; transnational crimes, such as drugs, human The Government is committed to restoring law trafficking and money-laundering; continuing conflicts and order, providing immediate relief to the people within and among States; and gross violations of affected by the conflict, fighting against the cancerous human rights, genocide, war crimes and crimes against growth of corruption and starting an economic humanity. It is more than obvious that many of those recovery package, focusing on pro-poor growth, global problems require global solutions. Together, we infrastructure development and public-private can rise to the occasion and adopt the vision and partnership. The Government will build an effective

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A/63/PV.11 strategy that the founders of the United Nations charted accordance with those compacts. On our part, I would in the purposes and principles of the Charter of the like to undertake that Nepal will fulfil its pledge to Organization. Multilateralism, not unilateralism, is the own its development programmes in accordance with answer to those problems. its national priorities, including those on poverty reduction and pro-poor governance policies. Least developed countries like Nepal are faced with a special predicament in their development We need to protect our people from the growing efforts. We are trapped in a vicious circle of poverty. vulnerabilities of climate change. For example, in my For many historical reasons, we have low economic own country, Nepal, melting glaciers and shifting growth, low productivity, underdeveloped industries weather patterns are threatening life-support systems, and traditional agriculture. Because of the low level of undermining the sustainability of agriculture and social indicators and fewer opportunities, conflict and unleashing extreme climate-induced disasters, such as crisis continue to be prevalent in those countries. frequent floods and landslides. The Himalayan range provides life-supporting water downstream for more Today, the growing gap between rich and poor than 1 billion people. Mount Everest, as the roof of the within countries as well as between nations is a sure world, and the Himalayan range need to be protected sign of a looming disaster. It is also inhuman and and utilized properly to contribute to humankind as a unjust that such a high level of inequality is still so whole. common in this age of human achievements, abundance and progress. Equally important is the fact I therefore strongly appeal to the international that islands of prosperity in a sea of poverty are not community to extend all necessary support and sustainable and certainly not in the enlightened self- cooperation to protect and promote that pristine interest of even the developed countries themselves, as environment. We need to create a regime of common they breed resentment, fuel conflict and undermine but differentiated responsibilities in which the their own progress in the long run. They also go developed countries will mitigate the burden of against the fundamental spirit of the United Nations. adaptation for the vulnerable countries, such as the least developed and small islands. The world stands to Because of the peculiar nature of the least benefit from addressing climate change if we are able developed countries and their high level of to harness the tremendous potentials of Nepal’s vulnerability, I strongly urge that the issues of least hydropower, which is a renewable and clean source of developed countries be looked at by the United Nations energy. To that end, Nepal is ready to invite and separately and addressed with special and focused encourage investment in its hydropower projects. programmes. They should be ensured dedicated support and cooperation if we want to make our world I am pleased that the United Nations Regional the just and inclusive place that the United Nations so Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the proudly espouses. Pacific is now operational in Kathmandu 20 years after it was established by this Assembly. I thank all We are not only least developed, but also Members, countries of the region, the Secretary- landlocked. That is a double disadvantage in our efforts General and the officials of the Secretariat for the to fulfil our development aspirations. In fact, we feel smooth relocation of the Centre from New York to further marginalized by the overwhelming impact of Kathmandu. I would like to take this opportunity to the downside of globalization and the high cost of reiterate Nepal’s commitment to making the Centre trade. We want full implementation of the respective successful through the cooperation of all countries global compacts, the Brussels Programme of Action for concerned. the Least Developed Countries and the Almaty Programme of Action for the landlocked developing Over the years, peacekeeping has evolved as the countries. In particular, I would like to highlight the soul of the United Nations. With that in mind, since need on the part of our developed country partners to 1958 Nepal has regularly placed its peacekeepers at the fulfil their commitments and pledges in allocating a call of the United Nations. We are celebrating the certain percentage of their gross national product to fiftieth anniversary of Nepal’s continuous participation those countries and in making trade concessions, debt in United Nations peacekeeping operations. I take this relief and other capacity-building measures available in opportunity to reiterate Nepal’s commitment to

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A/63/PV.11 continuing to provide our troops for the cause of peace Today, the United Nations needs to reform and worldwide. Today, Nepal is the fifth largest contributor democratize itself in order to take on the numerous of troops and police personnel to United Nations challenges in international peace and security peacekeeping operations. We are glad that they have effectively, and it should reflect the current realities of earned accolades for their professional competence and the world. We should also give the necessary performance both at home and abroad. We consider credibility, legitimacy, competence and effectiveness to that to be our modest contribution to international the world body in solving global problems. peace and security. I take this opportunity to reiterate Nepal’s solemn The enjoyment of universal human rights is faith and commitment to the purposes and principles of absolutely essential to creating an environment of the Charter of the United Nations. On behalf of the peace, justice, democracy and development. As a people and the Government of Nepal, I pledge to work democracy, Nepal is fully committed to protecting and with all States Members in a spirit of goodwill, promoting the human rights of its people under all cooperation and mutual solidarity in order to take on circumstances, with constitutional and legal guarantees the challenges that face the world. Indeed, we have and implementation of the international human rights adopted that spirit as one of the main tenets of Nepal’s instruments to which Nepal is a party. The Government foreign policy. is committed to ending the environment of impunity. Nepal is an example of how swords can be turned The proposed truth and reconciliation commission will into ploughshares. That is what the United Nations is seek to arrive at a necessary balance between peace dedicated to. Therefore, as I address this Assembly and justice in order to ensure that justice is served and today, I have a special feeling about the objectives and that the centrality of the peace process is preserved. We ideals that the United Nations stands for and the will continue to strengthen our National Human Rights correlation between those ideals and the political, Commission so that it can take up its statutory economic and social transformation that we would like responsibility for the protection and promotion of to achieve in our country. May we all succeed in human rights in the country even more effectively. It attaining our common objectives through our collective goes without saying that the environment for the and sincere efforts as united and inseparable members protection and promotion of human rights in Nepal has of a single global family. significantly improved, especially after the signing of the comprehensive peace agreement in November The Acting President: On behalf of the General 2006. Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minster of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal for the As a least developed country that entered the statement he has just made. World Trade Organization (WTO) not too long ago, Nepal is concerned at the lack of tangible progress in The Right Honourable Pushpa Kamal Dahal negotiations on the Doha Development Agenda. We “Prachanda”, Prime Minister of the Federal think that the opportunities in world trade through the Democratic Republic of Nepal, was escorted from multilateral trading framework of WTO should not be the rostrum. delayed any further. The least developed countries deserve genuine duty-free and quota-free market access Address by Mr. Gordon Brown, Prime Minister for all their tradable products from all the major of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and countries, together with more favourable rules of origin Northern Ireland and support for enhancing their supply-side capacity. The Acting President: The Assembly will now Only then will the Doha Round be a development hear an address by the Prime Minister of the United round in the real sense of the word. Without the Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. meaningful integration of the least developed countries into the global regime, I do not know how we can Mr. Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United make the global trading regime sustainable, equitable Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and inclusive. Similarly, the least developed countries was escorted to the rostrum. need more aid for trade and trade facilitation measures The Acting President: I have great pleasure in to enhance their trading capacity. welcoming His Excellency Gordon Brown, Prime

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Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and But if we have learned anything in the past few Northern Ireland, and inviting him to address the years about the world in which we are now living, it is General Assembly. that the world we share is more interconnected than ever before and that the solutions have to be similarly Mr. Brown (United Kingdom): It is humbling to coordinated. stand before this great Assembly today. Events of recent weeks have proved beyond doubt that we are First, we must do all that it takes to stabilize the now in a new global age. Living through the first still turbulent financial markets and, in the months financial crisis and the first resources crisis of ahead, we must work together to rebuild the world globalization, we are a world not simply in transition, financial system around clear principles. In the short but facing transformation, with change more far- term, each country is taking action to deal with the reaching than anything we have seen in our lifetimes. fallout of the credit crunch, and the United States of The challenges, the opportunities for us and the risks America deserves support from the rest of the world as that we now face come together at the global it seeks to agree on in detail what all parties agree on crossroads of the United Nations, providing the focus in principle. for debate and decision here in this General Assembly In Britain, we have taken decisive action to Hall. promote stability in our banking system, protecting A predecessor of mine said that if one built the depositors and introducing a temporary ban on short- present only in the image of the past, one would miss selling. We have already injected billions into the out entirely on the challenges of the future. It is to market, making in excess of £100 billion available, and those challenges of the future that I want to address my announced only last week that our special liquidity remarks today. scheme will be extended until the end of January next year. In the next two decades, our world economy will double in size. That means double the opportunities Confidence in the future is also needed to build and potential for more businesses, more jobs and more confidence today, and that confidence will be built by prosperity. Extraordinary promise and opportunity showing that what are global problems can be await, but there are also wholly new insecurities and addressed by globally coordinated solutions. I believe pressures — global problems that will require global there are five key principles behind that all nations solutions. should unite around as we examine the future of our financial system. The twin shocks of a global credit crunch and soaring commodity prices lead straight to the front The first principle is that of transparency. People doors of every family in every country, with higher oil, must know what they are buying and selling, and they gas and food prices, and higher costs for credit. But must know what they are dealing with and not fear because it is a global financial crisis and a global what might be hidden on each other’s books. We must shortage of food and resources, it will not be resolved look at the rapid introduction of improved simply by individual nations acting in isolation, internationally acceptable accounting standards and although there is much that they can do themselves. It disclosure. will be solved in the end by us acting together. Secondly, there must be sound banking practice I want to talk about how we can work together to and more effective regulation that looks not just at tackle financial instability and the intense pressure now solvency but at liquidity, at managing and pricing risks on our finite world resources. The immediate priority is for bad times and for good times, together. to help people everywhere cope with these difficult Thirdly, there must be responsibility. No member times and to do so fairly. That is why, in Britain, we of senior management should be able to say he or she have acted to help those hit hardest, assisting people did not understand the risks they were running and with the costs of gas and electricity, supporting walk away from his or her obligations. homeowners and the housing market and helping people acquire the skills to do the new jobs of the Fourthly, there must be integrity. Most people twenty-first century. agree that companies should align reward with stability and long-term gain because what matters is hard work,

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A/63/PV.11 effort and enterprise. We should align the advice of transparent and stable energy markets this global credit-rating agencies with the interests of the economy clearly needs. We must bring producers and investors. consumers together, build common understanding and address the issues through meaningful and sustained Fifthly, just as banks are global and the flows of dialogue. At the end of this year, I will be hosting a capital are global, so oversight can no longer just be global energy summit in London, building on the national but must also include global supervision. That momentum generated in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to agree is why we want to work to support immediately the on key areas for further action. It is only by acting establishment of international colleges for each of the together that we can make the most of the world’s largest global financial institutions — 30 of them by scarce resources and harness the power of our greater the end of the year. interdependence for our common good. The international institutions built in the wake of Some say that in a time of difficulty we should the Second World War have not kept pace with the look inwards and cut aid; that we have an excuse for changing global economy. We need national regulators walking by on the other side; and that, by our inaction, to be cooperative, rules and principles to be consistent, we tolerate famine — but in today’s world, there is no and international movements of capital to be other side. transparent. Africa is not part of the problem, but an The current era has been one of global prosperity. indisputable part of the solution. It is only by helping It has also been an era of global turbulence, and while Africa to become a net exporter of food rather than a there has been irresponsibility, we must now say net importer that we can hope to achieve a long-term clearly that the age of irresponsibility must be ended. end to soaring food prices. Only by restarting and We must now build that new global financial order, seeing the trade talks through can we help our founding it on transparency, not opacity; rewarding economies benefit from the annual boost of success, not excess; and responsibility, not impunity. $150 billion that would be achieved by removing the That order must be global, not national. protectionist trade barriers and trade-distorting Global action cannot be limited to financial subsidies that currently cost developing countries the stability. We must also address another problem of most — $15 billion a year in their agricultural incomes globalization — the global scramble for resources. We alone. need global action to deal with high commodity prices As Governments and as nations, we must respond and a rising global population demanding more energy. with courage and vision to the new insecurities that Only by taking tough decisions on energy security and face people, because while the global changes climate change and by bringing together a new global happening all around us are complex, the instincts they partnership of oil producers and oil consumers can we summon up in people are not. We must resist those bring stability to global energy markets and secure instincts that are protectionist. Now is not the time to sustainable energy supplies for the long term. pull up the drawbridge, to seek solace in isolation or to We are committed to tackling the global revert to an outdated and futile protectionism. It is only challenge of climate change. Oil will of course by maintaining our open, flexible and dynamic continue to meet a large part of our global energy economies that we can best secure people’s jobs, needs for some decades to come, but over the past year homes and standards of living in a global age. we have seen the price of oil rise to as high as $146 per Our global institutions have always had a barrel before falling again to $90 in the past month — sweeping ambition, set up not against a single enemy a fall of nearly 40 per cent. Such high and volatile but against poverty, conflict, injustice and intolerance, prices have a harmful impact on the global economy, and set up in the belief that, for peace to last, and all countries surely have a shared interest in prosperity must be shared. Now we must build on the avoiding such dramatic swings in the price of scarce idealism of the era that created those institutions and resources. change and evolve those institutions to meet the We must now therefore consider whether the challenges of the global age. This United Nations is current international architecture can bring the more where the world turns to confront some of its greatest

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A/63/PV.11 challenges. It is where international law is made, where citizenship. Our history is not our destiny, it is what we the most acute political problems are addressed, and choose to make it. where the hopes of the world for a better future Let us resolve today to end any irresponsibility, ultimately rest. to protect the global public interest by cleaning up the For the past 40 years, it has been this United world’s financial system and to reaffirm our Nations that has been the key forum where the commitment to meeting our global responsibilities on international community has sought peace in the trade, poverty, energy and climate change, and let us Middle East, and it is the United Nations that must help act upon that as people, as Governments, as nations the next Government of Israel build on the foundations united. Let history record that ours was a truly global laid by Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas to response to the first truly global crisis. agree to a two-State solution that guarantees the The Acting President: On behalf of the General security of Israel and gives the Palestinians a viable Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the State. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland In Cyprus, where the United Nations has been for the statement he has just made. present for 30 years and more, we have a real chance of Mr. Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United a settlement, thanks to new leadership, which has our Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, support. was escorted from the rostrum.

In Afghanistan, the International Security Assistance Force is training Afghans to take back their Address by The Honourable Orette Bruce country after two generations of almost constant Golding, Prime Minister of Jamaica conflict. When the Afghan Government can deny its The Acting President: The Assembly will now land to Al-Qaida and its associates, the international hear an address by the Prime Minister of Jamaica. community will have done its job, but the task is hard and long. Progress is encouraging, but must be The Honourable Orette Bruce Golding, Prime continued and stepped up. Minister of Jamaica, was escorted to the rostrum.

In the Sudan, United Nations peacekeepers help The Acting President: I have great pleasure in keep the fragile North-South peace agreement in place, welcoming His Excellency The Honourable Orette but Darfur remains for all of us a disaster. It is the Bruce Golding, Prime Minister of Jamaica, and responsibility of the Government of the Sudan to create inviting him to address the General Assembly. the conditions in Darfur that will allow the conflict to Mr. Golding (Jamaica): It is perhaps fortuitous end and a new deal for the people of Darfur to be put in that my own Deputy Prime Minister happens to be place. Justice has to be part of any sustainable peace. presiding over the Assembly at the time when I address Difficulty has never daunted the United Nations. the Assembly for the very first time. But it is not true, Where we are rebuffed, we are resolute, so we must as someone suggested to me just before I came to the also send a powerful signal of our support for rostrum, that we have come to the sixty-third session of democracy and human rights in Zimbabwe. We must the General Assembly believing that we are still at the stand firm against oppression in Burma. We must, as Olympics in Beijing. Neither is it true that my name is we did yesterday, reaffirm the practical measures that Usain Bolt. My name is Bruce Golding. underpin our determination to defeat poverty. Now I offer Mr. D’Escoto Brockmann my would be the worst time to turn our back on the congratulations on his presidency and I ask you, Millennium Development Goals. Mr. Vice-President, to convey those congratulations to We have reached a unique point in the world’s him. He has assumed that office at a time when the history. For the first time in human history, we have the world faces challenges of crisis proportions. Much will opportunity to come together around a global covenant, be demanded of his leadership, and I want you, Sir, to to reframe the international architecture to make it fit assure him of Jamaica’s full support and cooperation in for the challenges facing us in the twenty-first century, all of his endeavours. and to build the first truly global society and global

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We have convened amid worrying global In 2001, we committed ourselves to achieving the developments. The hopes of the new millennium are in Millennium Development Goals by 2015. We are now danger of fading as the ideals of international harmony at the halfway mark and we are behind schedule. It is and shared global prosperity remain elusive. time to take stock to see where we are, who is falling Globalization, despite its promise of expanded behind, and what must be done to make up lost ground. production and trade, has been uneven in the spread of A critical success factor must be the partnership its benefits and, for many countries, marginal in its between developed and developing countries as impact. Indeed, the gap between rich and poor has defined in the 2002 Monterrey Consensus on financing widened within and among countries. for development, integrating aid, debt relief, market The global economy now appears to be headed access, good governance and foreign direct investment. for a severe downturn. Developments in the global Those initiatives were carefully calibrated. Proceeding financial system, the painful increase in oil and with some elements without the others will not achieve commodity prices and the escalating food crisis the goals we have set. Indeed, it might make it worse. threaten to plunge vast sections of the world’s We must all pull up our socks if we are to reverse population deeper into poverty. Fiscal challenges and the slippage we have suffered. Developing countries the crippling burden of debt render many countries must ensure that their priorities are properly structured. incapable of responding to the crisis. Countries like Developed countries must live up to their commitment Jamaica are called upon to respond within our limited to devote 0.7 per cent of their gross national income to capacity to protect the most vulnerable. official development assistance. That is a modest In the long term, however, our hopes for survival amount, yet only five countries have so far done so. will require huge investments, improved productivity, The focus of development cooperation cannot, I better access to the world’s markets and human submit, be too narrowly defined. The varied economic capacity-building. Developing countries cannot be left and social profiles of developing countries require a to find their own solutions. The situation requires a more flexible response that recognizes investment in collaborative, coordinated and global response. That is human capital, infrastructure and the transfer of not mere altruism. It is an indisputable truth that, if technology as critical elements in reducing poverty in a developed countries assist developing countries to sustained way. improve their economies, their productive capacity and the purchasing power of their people, they will expand That is particularly important to developing the markets for their own goods and services. It is the countries that are classified, based on per capita interdependency that we share and that is manifested in income, as middle-income countries. That so many other areas, from climate change to global classification deprives them of access to concessionary epidemics, organized crime and human trafficking. financing and creative measures to reduce the crippling debt burden that afflicts so many of them. If we are to Solving the problem of developing countries reduce poverty, the peculiar circumstances of those requires more than mere liberalization of trade, more countries cannot be ignored since that is where more than mere privatization of the economy and more than than one third of the world’s poor are to be found. the mere free flow of capital. It requires a sincere and sustained effort that focuses on the limitations that We call on the international community to devise bedevil developing countries. Global development, not strategic programmes to address the peculiar needs of just global markets, must be at the centre of our middle-income countries with deep pockets of poverty. priorities. Because of those factors and because of our exposure to frequent natural disasters, which in the matter of a Poverty and wealth should not have to coexist. few hours can reverse gains that took years to Poverty can be eradicated. The tools of development accomplish, Jamaica and its Caribbean Community exist and are capable of transforming the world, (CARICOM) partners are proposing the international empowering the poor and enabling them to rise from recognition of CARICOM States as a special category their poverty. We must therefore commit ourselves to of small vulnerable and highly indebted middle-income creating a world in which not everyone may be rich, countries. but no one has to be poor.

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The international financial system, designed more international framework beyond 2012, when the Kyoto than 60 years ago in the context of those times, has Protocol expires. undergone very little change in its governance, The impact of climate change on agricultural structure and practices. However, the world has output, and the frequency and intensity of natural changed and that requires a re-engineering of the disasters to which countries like Jamaica are global financial system. Jamaica supports the call for particularly vulnerable, point to the need for a global reform of the existing financial infrastructure to reflect environment management structure that establishes the new global realities and make it more proactive and clear standards and enforces compliance. responsive to the needs of the entire world community. I want to suggest, however, that it must involve more Jamaica is concerned that political instability in than merely expanding the membership of an exclusive many parts of the world, often fuelled by extremism club. It must be development-driven, recognizing that and intolerance, continues to threaten regional and poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity elsewhere. It international peace and security. They are neither must include mechanisms to detect signs of global limited in scope nor confined to national borders. crises and must be able to institute preventive Resolving those conflicts requires effective diplomacy measures. and global cooperation, and the United Nations must continue to use its good offices to secure just and The crisis currently rocking the world’s financial peaceful settlements. markets reflects the inadequacy of the regulatory structures that are essential to the effective functioning Our intense focus on combating terrorism and of any market. But it is more than that. It represents the transnational organized crime, and eliminating nuclear failure on the part of the international financial system arms and other weapons of mass destruction must not, to facilitate the flow of resources into areas where they however, marginalize the need for decisive action to can produce real wealth, not paper wealth. The world is curb the illicit trade in small arms, which facilitate not short of capital. What it lacks are the mechanisms internal violence in many of our countries and result in to ensure the efficient utilization of that capital. high levels of homicide. Jamaica supports the establishment of an arms trade treaty to impose strict I want to suggest that another urgent task is the controls on the illegal trade in small arms and creation of a viable and equitable international trading ammunition. system. Jamaica is deeply disappointed that the Doha Development Round has failed to deliver on the The persistent humanitarian crisis in Darfur promise of an open, fair and predictable multilateral continues to be a matter of serious concern to all of us. trading system. We urge all parties to resolve the We are disappointed that the African Union-United outstanding differences, particularly on the removal of Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur is not yet fully trade-distorting agricultural subsidies, and to address operational. We urge all parties to desist from actions the need for special safeguard mechanisms for that could deepen the crisis, jeopardize the safety of economically challenged countries. the civilian population and of United Nations personnel and prevent access to humanitarian relief. The need for more concerted action on global warming is impatient of debate. Developing countries Jamaica remains irrevocably committed to are the most vulnerable, but they are also the least finding a just, lasting and peaceful solution to the capable of mitigation measures. Countries that are the Middle East conflict — a solution that must ensure the major pollutants must bear the major share of the security of Israel and the establishment of a viable responsibility for corrective action. They must make Palestinian State. binding commitments to fulfil that responsibility. The The United Nations must continue to play a purchase of carbon credits, especially from developing pivotal role through its peacekeeping missions in the countries, must not exculpate them from that creation of sustainable peace in post-conflict situations. responsibility. Jamaica will use its membership in the Peacebuilding Jamaica calls for a fair, equitable and balanced Commission to underscore the importance of sustained, long-term scheme to bind emission caps within a new long-term economic development in rebuilding and

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A/63/PV.11 transforming countries that have been wracked by Secretary-General and the members of the committee conflict. for their support and assistance. I also thank Member States that have made or pledged contributions. We The devastation wrought in Haiti by recent invite other States to do likewise. hurricanes has aggravated the already harsh conditions under which the Haitian people are forced to live. Six decades ago, the founding fathers of the Much more needs to be done not only in providing United Nations agreed that the Organization should be emergency relief, but also in addressing the long-term a mechanism for harmonizing the actions of nations in social, economic and development needs of that the achievement of our common goals: peace and country, as a sustainable solution to the fragile prosperity throughout the world, respect and tolerance humanitarian situation that exists there. Haiti needs and among the powerful and support for the weak and deserves the support of the entire international vulnerable. That remains our mandate, our unfinished community. business. Fulfilling that mandate and advancing that mission will require a more proactive United Nations, We are gathered here this week as Members of one that is more responsive to the needs of Member that union we call the United Nations. What is the state States and gives equal attention to issues of peace, of that union? We must not ignore the cynicism that security and development. The hopes of people exists in some quarters about the continued value of the everywhere in the world depend on us, the leadership United Nations. Those cynics have not bothered to that we provide and the will that we exert for the times contemplate what the world would be like if the United in which we live. We must not fail them. Nations did not exist. But we have contributed to that cynicism, so often bending the facts to suit our own The Acting President: On behalf of the General design, breaking the rules to secure a particular Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of advantage and making commitments without the will to Jamaica for the statement he has just made. honour them. The Honourable Orette Bruce Golding, Prime Reform of the structure and procedures of the Minister of Jamaica, was escorted from the United Nations is an imperative whose time has long rostrum. come. Let us not bury it in procrastination and incessant squabbling. It is time for constructive, Address by Mr. Lyonchoen Jigmi Yoezer consensus-building dialogue. The need for changes in Thinley, Prime Minister of the Kingdom the structure and scope of the Security Council has of Bhutan been under discussion for almost 15 years, bogged The Acting President: The Assembly will now down in polarized, adversarial positions. hear an address by the Prime Minister of the Kingdom We have a compelling duty to put in place of Bhutan. systems that can secure peace and prosperity for the Mr. Lyonchoen Jigmi Yoezer Thinley, Prime future. We therefore welcome the unanimous adoption Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan, was escorted of decision 62/557, contained in paragraph 23 of to the rostrum. document A/62/47, which, we hope, will provide resolve for the early commencement of The President took the Chair. intergovernmental negotiations within a specified time The President (spoke in Spanish): I have great frame and in the context of an informal plenary pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Lyonchoen meeting of the General Assembly. Jigmi Yoezer Thinley, Prime Minister of the Kingdom The sixtieth anniversary of the Universal of Bhutan, and inviting him to address the General Declaration of Human Rights serves to remind us of Assembly. the central role of the United Nations in promoting Mr. Thinley (Bhutan): As the youngest human rights and fundamental freedoms. Those are democracy, having become one in April of this year, essential components of the environment required for my country is honoured, and I am honoured, to have sustained development. It was consistent with that this opportunity to present ourselves before this great principle that we launched the initiative to erect a world body. In a country that has enjoyed continuous monument to honour the victims of slavery. I thank the

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A/63/PV.11 justice, stability and progress, democracy came not by term, but piecemeal efforts will not lead to permanent the traditional way of struggle and violence, nor by the solutions. We need to treat the disease beyond the will of the people. Bhutan became a democracy by the symptoms. And the disease, we believe, has to do with persuasion and personal efforts of a King who worked our way of life, which is simply not rational and consistently over 30 years to establish the prerequisites sustainable. of a democratic culture and institutional arrangements. One does not need to be an economist to Having accomplished that noble task, and having set understand that the oil crisis, soaring price of metals the polity on the final and irreversible path of and diminishing water reserves have to do with the fact democracy, our King abdicated the throne as a final that for too long we have been exploiting and wasting mark of his confidence in democracy. He now lives in our scarce natural resources. At the very least, these quiet retirement at the grand old age of 53. developments are market reactions and attempts to The King has shown that, if leaders themselves reflect the true value of these resources. are committed to democracy, the transition can be As for the financial crisis, it is becoming quite smooth and peaceful. Likewise, if leaders elected to clear that its main cause lies in our culture of living govern believe in it, democracy provides the best beyond our means, of private profiteering, of means to serve the people. That is the conviction with socializing risks. Unfortunately, the possible solution which my Government will fulfil the powerful mandate seems to lie in transferring our debt to future that the people have given to us. generations, who are not here to argue against it. As a representative of a country that is deeply It is not difficult to see how all these crises are committed to multilateralism and that believes firmly the result of a way of life that is dictated by the in the indispensability of the United Nations system, I powerful ethics of consumerism in a world of finite seek the indulgence of the Assembly as I offer resources. Our life is all about fear of not having Bhutan’s perspective from the high Himalayas of our enough, about wanting more and doing better than our troubled world today. dear neighbour and friend. We spend and consume far We are confronted with a host of serious beyond our means and those of generations unborn. challenges that are testing the relevance of the United As we go on expanding our economies by Nations and the resolve of its Member States to work extracting natural resources, raising productivity, together. Natural disasters, food, fuel and financial increasing consumption and discharging immeasurable crises, deepening poverty, failing States, dwindling volumes of polluting waste, the climate is changing. water resources, diseases, human trafficking and even Striking unpredictably, unseasonably and with greater maritime lawlessness afflict our society. And then there fury and frequency, natural disasters such as drought, is terrorism and extremism of the most barbaric and cyclones, hurricanes, floods and landslides are cowardly kind, using the weak and the deranged to kill destroying life, property and crops. Weather patterns and maim the innocent. have changed and continue to change, with far more All those challenges threaten to undermine what profound implications for our civilization than we can we have achieved collectively and as individual States. fathom. We even wonder whether earthquakes and They directly thwart our slow progress in the pursuit of tsunamis may have something to do with climate the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which I change. believe are among the most laudable consensual Yesterday, we huddled together to find solutions agreements achieved by this Assembly to bring about a to the food crisis and the danger of growing hunger in a more just and equitable world, indeed, a more civilized world where already too many are starving. Diseases world. abound and new epidemics threaten humanity, other Bhutan does not look at those developments as life forms and crops even as medicine and technology separate, disconnected events. Rather, we see them as combine to conspire against mortality. Are these not directly interconnected symptoms of a larger and signals from a planet grossly abused? Could these not deeper malaise that threatens our collective well-being be pleas to mend our ways and to search for a more and survival. Responding to each of the challenges sustainable way of life? separately will most probably be useful in the short

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Deepening poverty, not unlike the food crisis, is I ask again: does economic growth translate as also a sign of the disintegration of communities. As human development? Are we mutating to become communities die, so does the spirit of sharing, senseless robots programmed to be materially borrowing and giving amid good neighbourliness in productive, to earn more, to want more, to consume times of need, as opposed to competing and making more and more of what we do not need and will gains at the cost of community, neighbour and even ultimately destroy us? one’s own family. It is about the failure of human As human beings, should we not search for and relationships, including between and among States. be driven by higher values? Do we not have needs This, I believe, lies at the root of the poverty, hunger, beyond material ones, beyond that of the body alone? instability and insecurity that plague much of the world Can we conceptualize a holistic alternative paradigm today. for meaningful and sustainable development that places These multiple crises bring into sharp focus the the well-being of the individual and community at the shameful inequities of our society, which fails to share centre and gives cause for true happiness, as opposed and to distribute the enormous wealth it has created to to fleeting pleasures? satisfy man’s insatiable greed. People suffer from I am pleased to submit that many academic hunger, thirst and exposure to the elements and die institutions and researchers across the world are without treatment not because we do not have enough engaged in such a search and are making progress. The food, water, clothes or medicine, but because we do not latest to join is the Organization for Economic have the will to share and the care to distribute. Cooperation and Development, which has hosted a Only yesterday, I was wondering how many tons series of regional and world conferences to develop of food and medicine must be taken off the shelves of indicators to measure true human progress. Manhattan stores and put into the incinerator at the end My country, Bhutan, is one such entity. While of each day as they become stale or reach their date of being actively involved as a partner in the global expiry. On the other hand, even to this day, few efforts in this regard, we have pursued a unique developed countries have fulfilled their pledge to share development path, guided by our former King’s less than 1 per cent of their gross national product philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH), since (GNP) with developing countries. Likewise, the the early 1970s. GNH is based on the belief that pharmaceutical companies have convincing arguments happiness is the single most important goal and to offer against lowering the cost of medicines. purpose in life for every individual and that the end of We need to wake up from our narcissistic slumber development must be the promotion and enhancement and self-indulgence and realize that economic well- of happiness. It must, therefore, we believe, be the being is not human well-being. We must break away responsibility of the State to create an enabling from the shackles of the powerful forces of the market. environment within which its citizens can pursue For that matter, could the unravelling of the market- happiness. based economy, as evident in the financial crisis, be a The concept emphasizes a balanced life, glimpse of the truth that mindless and irresponsible matching the material needs of the body with the economic growth and expansion cannot go on? It is spiritual, psychological and emotional needs of the neither sustainable nor fair to future generations. mind. To that end, the Royal Government structured its Above all, we could be condemning our own selves to development programmes around four broad themes, or an old age of burdensome debt and regret. pillars, that constitute a paradigm for holistic and That brings us to the question of whether our sustainable development. These are: sustainable and fundamentals are sound. Is the GDP-led growth that equitable socio-economic development, not growth; has served as our measure of progress good enough for environmental conservation; the promotion of culture; the future? What are the foundations of our and good governance. Since the 1970s we have never civilizations and the values that guide us? As we get wavered from that path, thanks greatly to the richer and live by the terms that we have set for generosity and support of our development partners. ourselves, are we truly becoming more civilized, or are The former King never faltered, sacrificing his own we trapped in a downward spiral of de-civilization?

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A/63/PV.11 reign to leave the legacy of a unique democracy and a endeavours. Our deep gratitude goes to His Excellency country that is peaceful, progressive and happy. Mr. Srgjan Kerim for his able guidance of the Assembly at its previous session. I urge the members of the Assembly to reflect on those and other considerations so that such crises as have Given the growing urgency of food security, the now stricken us may never reappear, so that we can return topic that we are discussing today is of crucial each year to this Assembly and find reasons to smile and importance. We fully support the United Nations-led to be happy. To that end, Mr. President, please be assured efforts, reflected in the Rome Declaration, to ensure a of Bhutan’s fullest support for and cooperation with you timely response to a problem that may have grave and the Secretary-General. consequences for the livelihoods of millions of people. The President (spoke in Spanish): On behalf of Food security is a cross-cutting issue that should the General Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime be considered against the background of other Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan for the statement interrelated global challenges, such as climate change he has just made. and energy security. These also demand an immediate response based on the common but differentiated Mr. Lyonchoen Jigmi Yoezer Thinley, Prime responsibilities and capabilities of various countries. Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan, was escorted The United Nations should continue to provide a from the rostrum. unique forum for the elaboration of the effective multilateral approach needed. Address by Mr. Sergei Stanishev, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria Next spring, Bulgaria intends to host a summit entitled “Gas for Europe: New Transregional The President (spoke in Spanish): The Assembly Partnerships and Projects”. It is important to bring will now hear an address by the Prime Minister of the together heads of State and Government from all Republic of Bulgaria. interested countries in South-Eastern Europe, the Black Mr. Sergei Stanishev, Prime Minister of the Sea/Caspian Sea region, Central Asia, the EU and the Republic of Bulgaria, was escorted to the rostrum. United States in order to encourage political dialogue at the highest level and to enhance transregional The President (spoke in Spanish): I have great cooperation with a view to achieving a balance among pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Sergei energy and other strategic interests. Stanishev, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria, and inviting him to address the General Assembly. Effective multilateralism requires an intensive partnership between the United Nations and regional Mr. Stanishev (Bulgaria): It is a privilege and an organizations. On the basis of the European Union-United honour to address this distinguished audience on behalf Nations Joint Declaration on Cooperation in Crisis of Bulgaria, particularly as my country is celebrating Management, the EU and the United Nations have the centennial anniversary of the proclamation of its engaged in partnerships that have already delivered independence. Throughout those 100 years, Bulgaria results in many areas related to peacemaking and asserted and safeguarded its independence, often peacebuilding. A good and pragmatic relationship through active participation in international between the United Nations and NATO in the Western organizations, including the United Nations. Having Balkans, Afghanistan and Africa is also of crucial recently become a member of the European Union importance. (EU), my country is now even more committed to the universal and regulatory role of the United Nations in Various forms of regional, subregional and today’s globalized world. We align ourselves with the transborder cooperation may serve as building blocks statement made by President Sarkozy of the French for a comprehensive collective security system. Peace Republic on behalf of the EU (5th meeting). and stability are well rooted when local communities and immediate neighbours live in harmony. That Permit me to congratulate you, Sir, on your philosophy guided the recent Bulgarian chairmanship election to the presidency of the General Assembly at of the South-East European Cooperation Process. its sixty-third session. We wish you every success in Regional cooperation in South-East Europe has the months ahead and pledge our full support for your recently gained momentum. South-East Europe is in

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A/63/PV.11 the process of changing from an area recovering from terrorism and all related phenomena, such as war to a thriving and dynamic region. Over the past 12 radicalization and extremism. months, a whole new architecture of interaction has In countering terrorism, it is essential to conduct come into being, connecting the countries of the region that struggle within the requirements of international to the rest of Europe and the international community. law and to overcome prejudices and stereotype In line with the concept of regional ownership, the perceptions in a world of great diversity. Bulgaria’s pivotal role has now been assumed by the new long history of tolerance has been based on the Regional Cooperation Council. common understanding that cultural diversity is a great Democracy, security and cooperation still have a asset in our society. It is in that spirit that Bulgaria way to go in the Black Sea region. More coherent actively participates in the United Nations Alliance of efforts are needed for an ultimate settlement of the Civilizations and supports other like-minded protracted conflicts there. Frozen conflicts should not initiatives. be neglected, because they tend to reignite tension time This year, we mark the sixtieth anniversary of and again. The recent armed hostilities in South United Nations peacekeeping operations. As we pay Ossetia and in other parts of Georgia have provided tribute to the six decades of promoting peace and ample evidence to that effect. Bulgaria gave its full protecting the vulnerable, we should also realize that support to the peacemaking mission of the French EU there is still much to be done. The United Nations is presidency and remains actively involved in the facing a serious challenge due to the complex and preparation of the EU Monitoring Mission. We are multidimensional character of a growing number of convinced that the sovereignty and territorial integrity peace operations and missions. of Georgia should be upheld and that the military contingents should be withdrawn to their positions Bulgaria continues to make its contribution to the prior to the conflict in order to allow effective international peacekeeping efforts in the western monitoring by the EU and the Organization for Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa. Our task today Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) of the is not only to keep the peace; we must also make implementation of the six-point plan. certain that peace is irreversible and sustainable. The Peacebuilding Commission, an early achievement of Bulgaria contributes fully to the Eastern the reform process, has now become functional and has Dimension of the European Neighbourhood Policy, achieved some practical results in Burundi and Sierra which should address the needs and priorities of all Leone. partners in the region. We see opportunities for launching projects in important sectors such as Global celebrations of the sixtieth anniversary of transport, trade, energy, the environment and border the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this year security. The EU’s Black Sea Synergy initiative is a have reaffirmed the critical importance of universal pragmatic way to intertwine various regional adherence to international human rights standards, the initiatives, thus multiplying their effect. realization of which should make the world better for us all, free of poverty, intolerance and discrimination. As prevention and development are inextricably Despite the progress achieved, we should never relent linked, the Bulgarian Government and the country in our efforts. The Human Rights Council, with its office of the United Nations Development Programme institution-building process successfully accomplished, (UNDP) in Bulgaria are currently exploring the should engage in constructive, all-inclusive work potential for a Bulgaria/UNDP regional hub for the aimed at promoting and guaranteeing all human rights Western Balkans and the Black Sea area to share for all. accumulated know-how, training and research. Stable peace and security can be achieved only We condemn terrorism unequivocally and reject through development. Therefore, there is an urgent terrorist ideology in all its forms and manifestations. need to accelerate the implementation of the The first review of the United Nations Global Counter- internationally agreed development goals, including Terrorism Strategy held recently proved that the United the Millennium Development Goals. We are convinced Nations should continue to play a central role in that the responsibility for the timely achievement of mobilizing the international community to counter

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A/63/PV.11 those Goals lies with both developed and developing Independent State of Samoa, and inviting him to countries. address the General Assembly. Solidarity with those in need, and in particular Mr. Malielegaoi (Samoa): The United Nations with the developing countries, is an important and embodies multilateralism. It is living testimony of the irrevocable principle of Bulgarian foreign policy. We intergovernmental process at work. Samoa’s are taking our first steps in building a new donor membership of the United Nations is grounded on the capacity and shall strive to achieve the targeted levels promise of the hope, equality and justice the United of official development assistance as part of the Nations offers the Member States, irrespective of their European Union development cooperation policy. economic, political or military strengths. Looking back, our Organization has not lived up to the lofty In order to perform its role in the world goals enshrined in its Charter. Its credibility has been efficiently, the United Nations must follow persistently tarnished and undermined, and its performance the course of reforms initiated at the 2005 World questioned at times. Summit. We welcome the progress achieved during the sixty-second session of the General Assembly towards Yet, those perceived failings of our Organization improving the working modalities of the main United are of our own making when we allow the vested Nations bodies. Bulgaria expects that the remaining interests of a few to take precedence over the urgent tasks on the United Nations reform agenda will be and deserving needs of the majority; when we accept pursued vigorously and without delay during the flawed perceptions that certain issues, States and current session. regions are more important than others, distorting the world’s focus and the allocation of resources; when we In that regard, we welcome the efforts of the turn a blind eye and let the numerical superiority of Secretary-General and his determination expressed in groups or the importance of some stakeholders his opening statement. It is in our common interest to frustrate informed discussions of critical issues to score ensure that this sixty-third session of the General points and achieve symbolic wins that help no one in Assembly achieve tangible results. That is what the the long run; and when the long list of broken promises peoples of our countries, the people of the world, are and unfulfilled undertakings couched in eloquent yet expecting of us. meaningless rhetoric creates frustration and mistrust The President (spoke in Spanish): On behalf of among Member States. the General Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime The end result is that if no one takes Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria for the statement responsibility, the future of the United Nations will be he has just made. in doubt and the cost to the world incalculable. We Mr. Sergei Stanishev, Prime Minister of the have no one but ourselves to blame for any deficit in Republic of Bulgaria, was escorted from the the credibility of our Organization. What we urgently rostrum. need is a collective sense of trust and commitment to

its Charter. Only then will the United Nations remain Address by The Honourable Tuilaepa relevant and regain the confidence of our Members. Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi, Prime Minister There is too much at stake for the world to just sit of the Independent State of Samoa idly by. Strong global leadership is at a premium. The President (spoke in Spanish): The Assembly Governments must yield not to vested interests and will now hear an address by the Prime Minister of the expediency, but because it is the ethical and the just Independent State of Samoa. thing to do. The Honourable Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele That was my message from this rostrum last year, Malielegaoi, Prime Minister of the Independent and I am happy to restate it again today. No Member State of Samoa, was escorted to the rostrum. State is too powerful or too small not to be part of the solution of making the United Nations an agent of The President (spoke in Spanish): I have great change and a beacon of hope during these challenging pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Tuilaepa times. And no contribution is too trivial or unimportant Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi, Prime Minister of the not to matter. For States in leadership positions, the

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A/63/PV.11 ideal is to lead with humility, fairness and a kind heart. session to bring finality to an issue that has taxed The world expects nothing less. Leadership and Members States’ patience and endurance for over a responsibility are, after all, one and the same. decade and a half. Clearly, Member States can only do so much. We At the very minimum, the unanimous support of need a committed Secretariat that is aware of and the current permanent members of the Security Council sensitive to the needs of the people it serves. That is a is a must. We hope, therefore, that candidate States and non-negotiable prerequisite. Samoa supports the permanent members will reach out to each other in Secretary-General’s vision of creating a professional good faith and set aside the barriers that continue to career service that is flexible and mobile enough to frustrate the reforms to the Security Council that we all allow for quick and positive responses to the diverse know must be made. demands of Member States. The need for the United One observation that has been made over many Nations to deliver as one entity cannot be years is that there seems to be indifference, whether overemphasized. It adds value and quality to the intended or not, on the part of some of the leader process, eliminates waste, minimizes overlaps and nations of our Organization towards small and ensures that the scarce resources entrusted to its care economically weak States, which, while they observe are used optimally to supplement Members States’ good governance and practice sound economic hard-earned efforts. management, are nevertheless faced with the constant Right now our world is facing a difficult and struggle to sustain and maintain the hard-won gains on troubled time. As members of the global community, those fronts. our futures are inextricably linked. For Samoa, the Paradoxically, the only time those struggling small size of our country, its isolation from the major States get noticed is when they are tottering on the markets and permanent vulnerability to climate change brink or in the process of becoming failed States. By are factors beyond our control. Yet even as a least then, the cost in salvage action and remedial developed small island nation that has made little or no programmes is enormous. Therefore, the willingness of contribution to the causes of today’s crises, Samoa is leader nations to listen and to try and understand early not shielded from their immediate negative impact and on the problems of States struggling to sustain good long-term consequences. governance and economic management would go a Global crises, as we know from bitter experience long way towards creating effective partnerships, with global warming, energy and food prices, and now deploying scarce resources efficiently, and engendering with the mayhem in financial markets that threatens to goodwill and trust in the process. engulf the world, affect all our nations irrespective of Troubled spots around the world are on the rise, whether we contributed to those crises or not. including in our own Pacific region. Some are This is why, in spite of shortcomings in the occasioned by outside forces and influences, and others Organization, the United Nations remains the only through domestically induced factors. Notwithstanding viable institution that draws all the nations of our our differences, we all aspire to the same values in life. world together. However, the need to revitalize the Hence, we must heed the lessons of history and provide General Assembly and to reform the Security Council appropriate encouragement and interventions to help has been obvious for many years. In the case of the States restore good governance and abide by the Security Council, as long as its current composition principles of democracy. and rules ignore today’s realities, it will continue to Yesterday’s high-level meeting on the struggle to effectively carry out its intended tasks, as Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was a timely we have seen it do over many years. reminder, not of what we have achieved by the midway Samoa remains firm in its position that the point, but what decisive actions must be taken urgently permanent and non-permanent membership categories if the time-bound targets set at the dawn of the new of the Security Council should be expanded. Member millennium are to be met. Samoa participated in the States with legitimate credentials should be encouraged to recent Accra meeting on aid effectiveness, which stake their claims. Importantly, the intergovernmental further refined the pathways to the MDGs review just process should commence in earnest during the current concluded and the International Conference on

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Financing for Development in Doha in November destructive impact of climate change and enhancing the 2008. chances of a credible post-Kyoto agreement beyond 2012. To reach that goal, the Bali Road Map — with its Our strategic plan for 2008 to 2012 is a four pillars of adaptation, mitigation, finance and comprehensive development framework linked to the technology — should be supported both in word and in budget process for the implementation of the MDGs, deed. with strategic targeting of those goals on which we have seen minimal progress through priority resource The unpredictable weather patterns of recent allocation. times, affecting all regions of the world, are a sober reminder of our limitations as human beings against We are grateful to the Governments of the the force of natural elements no matter how good and People’s Republic of China and the United Kingdom technologically sound our preparations are. We need a for their support through debt relief. Similarly, we want global response if we are to succeed. Samoa was to acknowledge the innovative partnerships in which pleased, therefore, to see Australia take its place as a we are engaged with our development partners, both State party to the Kyoto Protocol at the Bali meeting. old and new, giving us full ownership of the process in We remain optimistic that, either through a change of our quest to achieve as many of the MDGs as we heart or through new circumstances, other countries possibly can. will join the Kyoto Protocol to strengthen the In September 2007, during the 2007 South Pacific implementation regimes of the Convention. Games in Samoa, my Government worked closely with I mentioned last year the offer of the United the United Nations system and others to promote the Nations system to establish an inter-agency climate achievement of the MDGs. One innovative way of change centre in our country for coordinated support to using sports as a vehicle to effect change in behaviour Pacific island countries and regional organizations for and to relay development messages was the installation climate change mitigation, adaptation and disaster risk of a solar-powered “MDG scoreboard” in front of a reduction. Given the clear importance to the Pacific Government building to monitor national progress region of the project, Samoa has allocated land — 16 towards the MDGs. acres in all — on which to locate the centre and awaits Climate change continues to play a pivotal role in the provision of the necessary resources by the United the decisions of the leaders in our region. Our Pacific Nations so that the facility, which is already public Islands Forum meeting in August 2008 adopted the knowledge in the region, can be constructed. Niue Declaration on Climate Change. Our Forum Samoa continues to support United Nations communiqué, issued at the same summit, highlighted peacekeeping efforts worldwide. Small as we are, the vulnerability of Pacific small island developing Samoan police continue to serve side by side with States to the impacts of climate change. The European officers from other countries in Liberia, the Sudan and Union and the Pacific Islands Forum Troika agreed last Timor-Leste as part of our ongoing commitment. week to work together to highlight the ongoing Within the Pacific region, our solidarity in confronting vulnerability of Pacific islands to the impacts of sea- the challenges facing our neighbours ensures a level rise. Our representatives to the United Nations guaranteed Samoan police presence in the Regional are working with like-minded countries to bring to the Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands under the fore the security implications of climate change. umbrella of the Pacific Islands Forum. In total, those efforts and partnerships should A durable peace settlement in the Middle East convince those in denial that climate change is real. Its continues to elude us, but that does not constitute effects have already been felt by some of our Pacific grounds to be pessimistic. We should support every island States, and for some low-lying islands climate effort to create conditions conducive to the creation of change is an existential issue and their long-term an independent Palestinian State alongside a secure and survivability is at stake. safe State of Israel. Only through selfless and concerted efforts by all Finally, those bent on creating fear and panic countries, led by the major greenhouse gas emitters, throughout the world will stop at nothing to achieve can we have a fighting chance of lessening the their aims. We must not be held hostage to their

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A/63/PV.11 devious designs. Individually and collectively, we must ourselves whether the progress made has been good step up our efforts to combat the threat of international enough. We believe that efforts to achieve the terrorism in its many manifestations. No country can Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and succeed on its own. Only by working collaboratively ultimately create a society for all must be carried out in can we be successful. tandem with steps to achieve full employment and decent work for all. The President (spoke in Spanish): On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime The implementation of the MDGs is simply the Minister of the Independent State of Samoa for the implementation of my Government’s philosophy and statement he has just made. programmes. It is with considerable satisfaction, therefore, that I am able to report that the Bahamas has Mr. Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi, achieved many of the MDG targets and indicators. Prime Minister of the Independent State of Samoa, Over a two-year period, assistance to the poor in the was escorted from the rostrum. Bahamas and to low-income families is being increased by 45 per cent. Address by The Right Honourable Hubert Alexander Ingraham, Prime Minister and The issue of international migration and Minister of Finance of the Commonwealth of development is of particular concern to the Bahamas. the Bahamas We have been burdened for some 60 years now with irregular and unauthorized migration, which places The President (spoke in Spanish): The Assembly increased demands upon the education, health and will now hear an address by the Prime Minister and social services of the Bahamas. It also represents Minister of Finance of the Commonwealth of the potential national security threats, particularly as Bahamas. organized crime networks have become increasingly The Right Honourable Hubert Alexander involved in the cross-border smuggling of illicit drugs, Ingraham, Prime Minister and Minister of firearms and human cargoes. Therefore, the Bahamas Finance of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, looks forward to the discussion scheduled to take place was escorted to the rostrum. during this session on the follow-up to the 2006 High- level Dialogue on International Migration and The President (spoke in Spanish): I have great Development. pleasure in welcoming His Excellency The Right Honourable Hubert Alexander Ingraham, Prime New and emerging problems continue to slow Minister and Minister of Finance of the global development, and the current food, energy and Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and inviting him to financial crises threaten to erode the gains made over address the General Assembly. the past 10 years towards ending poverty, hunger and malnutrition and reducing deaths. Apart from the Mr. Ingraham (Bahamas): On behalf of the consequential increase in production costs for all Government and people of the Commonwealth of the consumer goods, the growing cost of energy is Bahamas, I congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption affecting the travel plans of many, with direct negative of the presidency of the Assembly at its sixty-third consequences for tourism, the primary industry of the session, and I assure you of the full support and Bahamas. cooperation of my delegation. I should also like to take this opportunity to commend Mr. Kerim on his Of equal concern is the persistent challenge of stewardship of the Assembly at its sixty-second climate change, especially for small island developing session, which has just concluded. States such as the Bahamas, where 80 per cent of our landmass is within 1.5 metres of sea level. It is no The Bahamas commends the Secretary-General surprise to find the Bahamas listed among the 100 for this opportunity to assess our global commitment. countries most vulnerable to the consequences of We first committed ourselves to the creation of a climate change and sea-level rise. Potential impacts of society for all in 1995. Five years later, we further rises in temperature include not only the recommitted ourselves to that objective and signed on environmental degradation of marine and terrestrial to the development agenda, a noble objective. We are ecosystems — loss of biodiversity and compromised now at the halfway point, and we must judge for

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A/63/PV.11 groundwater tables, agricultural lands and fishery Our participation in the international economic, resources — but also the social and economic losses financial and trading systems has permitted us to that might be expected from labour displacement. embrace opportunities presented by globalization and to achieve reasonable levels of growth and My Government has recorded its commitment to development. Nevertheless, we remain vulnerable to preserve our marine and terrestrial environments and to the challenges posed by our size and the limits on our meet the targets established by the United Nations representation in global governance. Convention on Biological Diversity for 2010 and 2012. Indeed, we fully expect to exceed our commitment to The Bahamas supports the strengthening of the conserve at least 20 per cent of the near-shore marine United Nations Committee of Experts on International resources across the Bahamas by 2020. That reality Cooperation in Tax Matters and its upgrade to an informs the Bahamas’ desire for urgent action on intergovernmental body. It is the view of the Bahamas climate change. that international tax matters, including issues of importance to developing countries that are not The increasing number and fury of tropical adequately addressed in other organizations, should be storms and hurricanes passing through the Caribbean discussed in an open, transparent and inclusive forum. are, I believe, yet another indication of the negative For that and other important reasons the Bahamas calls effects of global climate change. This year alone, those for the convening of a major international conference tropical storms and hurricanes have had a devastating to review the international financial and monetary effect on a number of countries in our subregion, architecture and global economic governance including the island of Inagua in the southern structures. The case of small developing countries must Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, the be addressed in the context of international systems Turks and Caicos Islands and Haiti. They pose a that are fair, equitable, objective, open and inclusive. singularly peculiar threat to our countries, as they are Therefore, effective permanent representation of capable, literally in one fell swoop, of wiping out all developing countries, particularly small developing the development gains we have achieved over many countries, is needed in the international economic, years of hard work. trade and financial institutions, including the Bretton That is especially true for Haiti, where conditions Woods institutions and the World Trade Organization, are especially grim. The Bahamas is pleased that the as well as other bodies, such as the Financial Stability United Nations has remained actively engaged in Haiti. Forum. The Bahamas commends the work of the United The Bahamas reaffirms its support for the Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti. As the current intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council Chair of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response reform with a view to expanding the membership of Agency, I am pleased that the Caribbean Community that body in both the permanent and non-permanent (CARICOM) has been able to contribute to the relief categories, as well as improving its working methods. efforts in Haiti, but Haiti’s needs remain at proportions International peace and security is important to us all. that can be addressed only by the international The Bahamas fully supported the General Assembly’s community. We are heartened by the flash appeal for adoption of the United Nations Global Counter- Haiti under the auspices of the United Nations Office Terrorism Strategy in September 2006 as a framework for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. for collective action to prevent and combat terrorism. The current global economic climate presents a The Bahamas condemns terrorism in all its forms formidable challenge to both developed and developing and manifestations, and we call for, and commit to, the countries. The Bahamas has established a comparative full implementation of a culture of peace, justice and and competitive advantage in a number of international human development and respect for all religions and service industries by laying a solid foundation based cultures. I am pleased to report my Government’s upon the rule of law, with its attendant protection of ratification, since taking office last year, of the United private property rights, combined with sound Nations Convention against Corruption, the macroeconomic policies and a commitment to International Convention on the Suppression of democratic ideals that foster an enduring political Terrorist Bombings and the United Nations Convention stability. against Transnational Organized Crime — the Palermo

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Convention — and its Protocols. The Bahamas families, they exist within nations and they will commends the Secretary-General’s initiative in exist in the world. And therefore, without any organizing the first-ever United Nations Symposium on question you are going to have to work to achieve Supporting Victims of Terrorism. peace in the world much more continuously than you have ever worked.” Escalating acts of crime and violence, civil unrest, wars and internal conflicts around the world That is as true today as it was 48 years ago. continue to threaten our efforts to create a just and The President (spoke in Spanish): On behalf of peaceful international environment. The 2008 World the General Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Drug Report indicates that the supply of illicit drugs is Minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas for the increasing. That has serious consequences for our statement he has just made. subregion. The Bahamas and members of CARICOM are neither significant producers nor suppliers of The Right Honourable Hubert Alexander narcotics. We are neither manufacturers nor suppliers Ingraham, Prime Minister and Minister of of small arms and light weapons. Yet the meteoric rise Finance of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, in the illicit trafficking in drugs, small arms and light was escorted from the rostrum. weapons, illegal migration and human trafficking through our subregion creates a formidable challenge Address by His Excellency Mr. Ralph E. to the national security and socio-economic growth and Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and development of our countries. Therefore, the Bahamas the Grenadines reiterates the call made by CARICOM last July for the The President (spoke in Spanish): The Assembly illicit brokering in small arms and light weapons to be will now hear an address by the Prime Minister of the addressed in a holistic, transparent and legally binding Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. manner, with renewed commitments for effective and enhanced safeguards. His Excellency Mr. Ralph E. Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, was We are poised to mark, on 10 December, one of escorted to the rostrum. the greatest achievements of this great Organization: the sixtieth anniversary of the adoption of the The President (spoke in Spanish): I have great Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Bahamas pleasure in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Ralph E. reaffirms its commitment to the fundamental principles Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the of human rights, dignity and freedom for all. The Grenadines, and inviting him to address the General Bahamas commends the entering into force of the Assembly. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Mr. Gonsalves (Saint Vincent and the and the adoption of the International Convention for Grenadines): At the outset, Saint Vincent and the the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Grenadines expresses its solidarity with the people of Disappearances and the United Nations Declaration on Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and the United States of America, the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. who have been savagely battered in quick succession For more than six decades, human rights, poverty by Hurricanes Gustav, Hanna and Ike. Within the and development and peace and security have attracted Caribbean and our America, the heroism, bravery and the attention of this Assembly. The complexity of those resilience of the Cuban, Haitian and Jamaican people issues, coupled with a lack of good governance and and ordinary Americans are a well-documented source political sensitivity, has too often impeded meaningful of pride to us all. We wish you all, the afflicted nations advances. As we celebrate the Declaration’s sixtieth and peoples, a speedy recovery, and we stand with you anniversary, I recall the vision of a former First Lady in your rebuilding efforts. of the United States of America, Eleanor Roosevelt, as Allow me to express my pleasure in noting that expressed in her address on 8 March 1960: the presidency of the General Assembly is now held by “We are going to have to work for a peaceful a man whose native shores are kissed by the world continuously, without stopping because magnificent Caribbean Sea. I am comforted by the differences exist among people. They exist in knowledge that he has a full appreciation of the

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A/63/PV.11 majesty of our landscape and seascape, the One year ago, I stood at this very podium and opportunities and challenges facing our region, and the denounced the failure of the international community nobility of our Caribbean civilization. Mr. President, to end the genocide in Darfur. One year ago, there were your dream that another world is possible, as promising, though belated, signs that the United courageously outlined in your inaugural presidential Nations was finally beginning to act decisively in this statement, is both timely and prescient. I regard. One year ago, I stated that “the force on the wholeheartedly endorse your call for frankness, ground is still insufficient, its mandate is ambiguous democratization and a focus on the needs of the poor, and its emerging presence is years too late” all under the redemptive and transformative rubric of (A/62/PV.10, p. 15). Today, one year later, I am love and solidarity with our fellow human beings. shocked by our collective failures in Darfur. Last month, Force Commander Martin Luther Agwai It is in that spirit of love and frankness that I compared his role to that of a boxer in the ring with his come before the Assembly today. In all candour, I must hands tied behind his back, because his promised force affirm what you, Mr. President, have already of 26,000 personnel is still less than 10,000 strong. concluded: that the United Nations, as the supreme multilateral institution of a profoundly troubled and I thus reflect as to whether our promises of iniquitous world, can and must do more, in the form of “never again” and our commitments to the memories of decisive action, to improve the condition of our planet, one million Rwandans mean anything, as the blood of the living conditions of the less fortunate and the safety hundreds of thousands of Africans again stains the soil of our global family. of the continent and our collective conscience. As a people whose past and future are inextricably The late Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia once interwoven with the continent, we, the citizens of Saint stated: Vincent and the Grenadines, ask ourselves, in the “Throughout history, it has been the inaction of words of the Caribbean Nobel Laureate from Saint those who could have acted, the indifference of Lucia, Derek Walcott, “How can I face such slaughter those who should have known better, the silence and be cool?! How can I turn from Africa and live?” of the voice of justice when it mattered most that The conflict in Darfur is over five years old, and the has made it possible for evil to triumph.” time has long since past for genuine international action to halt that unspeakable human tragedy. There can be no doubt that the right-thinking and civilized peoples of the world are aware of the While I congratulate the General Assembly on challenges facing us and of the path to peace, finally clearing the way towards intergovernmental prosperity, and progress upon which we must negotiations on Security Council reform, it cannot be collectively embark. However, the work that we have an illusory or insincere process. The credibility of the entrusted to the United Nations is compromised by decisions made by the United Nations in the name of apathy and inaction by too many of us and by the peace and security hinges on the existence of a crippling pursuit of narrow self-interest by a handful of Security Council that is democratic and representative powerful countries. In this session, we have an historic of the regional and development diversity of our body. opportunity to reassert the relevance and credibility of As we are all well aware, the scarcities and this body by keeping the promises that we have made escalating prices of basic foodstuffs have already led to to ourselves and the world. riots and political instability worldwide and within our The United Nations is charged with tackling the own Caribbean Community. While Saint Vincent and weighty problems that beset the world, not with the the Grenadines has confronted the crisis with a creative refinement of the art of impotent diplomacy. I have no national food production plan that mixes agricultural doubt that the principles concealed in the language of incentives with education and assistance, our local “mandate review”, “system-wide coherence” and measures are only ameliorative and cannot totally “revitalization” are important, and doubly so to the insulate us from what is largely an imported problem. professional diplomats who look inward rather than We are again buffeted by the winds of unequal outward and who lose sight of the forest for the trees in trade liberalization, in which the agricultural subsidies their endless quest to choreograph the dancing of ever of developed States force our own nascent more angels on the head of a pin.

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A/63/PV.11 agro-industries into an uncompetitive demise. We are Six years later, Monterrey is remembered as the witness to a world where crops are grown to feed cars site of grand, unfulfilled commitments to the while people starve, and where climate change ruins developing world, much as Africa recalls the empty age-old farming and fishing livelihoods. The so-called promises of Gleneagles. The four decade-old promise food crisis that we now face is but a symptom of to devote 0.7 per cent of gross national income to deeper structural flaws in our global economic system official development assistance remains more illusion and consumerist culture. It represents the human face than reality. Countries like ours are therefore forced to at the confluence of countless systemic flaws and scour the globe for friends willing to partner with us poorly conceived strategies, including trade barriers, for the development of our people, while others would the mad rush to biofuels, adverse climate changes and rather sit in judgement of our development decisions anaemic development assistance. Any meaningful and priorities than rise to offer a helping hand. attempt to alleviate the suffering of the poor and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines once again hungry people of the world must start with those pleads with the international community to be systemic issues and resist the urge to treat the cognizant of the plight of Taiwan’s 23 million people. symptoms while ignoring the disease and its causes. Even though the United Nations historical neglect of The banana farmers of Saint Vincent and the the Taiwan issue has not been a source of pride, the Grenadines continue their heroic struggles to eke out a Government of Taiwan has acted responsibly and living in the face of international corporate greed, without confrontation to subordinate many of its thinly disguised as principled globalization. Our legitimate political claims into efforts aimed at farmers, tradesmen and private sector are still waiting reducing cross-Strait tensions, promoting peace and for the oft-promised opportunities that supposedly building relations with the People’s Republic of China. accompany globalization. However, the evidence to The United Nations must now act to ensure the date suggests that the international community has survival of that fledgling rapprochement. Taiwan inadvertently institutionalized and entrenched poverty should be encouraged on its path to peace by within a system of global winners and losers. The permitting its meaningful participation in the ironically titled Doha Development Round looks less specialized agencies of the United Nations. Much as and less like a negotiating process and more and more Taiwan’s vibrant economy is recognized through its like a suicide pact within which the World Trade participation in WTO, there is no compelling reason Organization (WTO) and the major economic Powers why its equally vibrant people should be denied want everything and concede little or nothing to the participation in the World Health Organization and poor and developing nations of the world. other specialized agencies. The solutions to our economic crises hinge upon The Caribbean is in the midst of its annual genuine negotiation and compromise in the interests of hurricane season and the awesome winds, sea surges the world’s least privileged. We are ill-served by and torrential rains of Gustav, Hanna and Ike have benign neglect, unequal enforcement and concepts of brought the issue of climate change into sharp relief. It welfare colonialism. The recent troubles in the world’s is a matter of life and death to the people of the premier financial and banking countries exacerbate the Caribbean and other small island developing States. profound challenges facing developing nations. Similarly, the cost of adaptation to the changes Six years ago, world leaders gathered in Mexico wrought by our industrialized brothers and sisters must and gave birth to the Monterrey Consensus, in which be borne adequately and responsibly by those who they pledged their objective to eradicate poverty, have so profoundly altered our global environment. achieve sustained economic growth and promote Hurricanes remind us in the Caribbean of our sustainable development as we advance to a fully existential oneness. Accordingly, the effort of inclusive and equitable global economic system. I Caribbean nations to fashion a more perfect union is to prayed at the time that the Conference would not be fully supported as a vital strategic necessity. devolve into a dragon’s dance upon a decorous platform of the finest diplomatic language which few The geographic happenstance that has placed the are determined to embrace for action. innocent people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the path of increasingly intense storms has also located

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A/63/PV.11 us unfortunately between the supply and demand that “I shall be telling this with a sigh fuel much of the West’s narcotics trade. As a result, our Somewhere ages and ages hence: scarce resources are increasingly being diverted to Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — stem the tide of drugs and small arms flowing through I took the one less travelled by, our region. and that has made all the difference.” To the people of Saint Vincent and the Let us choose with courage the road less travelled by. Grenadines, disarmament means not the eradication of Each of us can make a difference, accordingly. nuclear weapons, which we lack the will and resources The President: On behalf of the General to build, but the elimination of small arms, which Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of Saint threaten to shoot holes in the fabric of our democracy Vincent and the Grenadines for the statement he has and compromise the values of our civilization. We are just made. assailed by guns, which we do not build, and by deadly narcotics such as cocaine, which we do not produce. Mr. Ralph E. Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint The United Nations must act to protect the innocent Vincent and the Grenadines, was escorted from victims of the world from the scourge of small arms the rostrum. and light weapons. The President (spoke in Spanish): The Assembly In recent months, I have been profoundly will now hear a statement by His Excellency troubled by the creeping return of cold war rhetoric to Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, Chairman of the Executive the language of international and hemispheric Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization discourse. In this globalized and interconnected world, and President of the Palestinian Authority. it is no longer possible to divide the planet into Mr. Abbas (Palestine) (spoke in Arabic): At the competing hemispheres or to completely quarantine or outset, I congratulate you, Sir, on your election as indeed blockade ideological foe from friend. We must President of the General Assembly for this session. We guard against the return of discarded philosophies and wish you every success and express our confidence that learn from the recent past, in which developing you will continue to pursue the great mission countries were used as pawns and proxies for the undertaken by the United Nations, which constitutes a hegemonic ambitions of others. monumental achievement in the history of humankind Our multipolar experiment is too young for the towards the promotion of dialogue and understanding developing and globalizing world to return to the old and the resolution of issues and conflicts. That mission rhetoric and recriminations that invariably blossom continues to be carried out in accordance with the rules into violence and death, most often visited on the and principles of international law, including peoples of developing countries. It is my sincere prayer humanitarian law, and on the basis of covenants that that this body will hew more closely to the principles are consistent with the spirit of the times and the needs of multilateralism and the sovereign equality of all of the Organization in resolving problems and conflicts States, and resist any pressures for the United Nations and confronting the enormous challenges before us, to devolve into a playground for the triumphalist including poverty, hunger, the environment and climate ambitions of presumptive super-Powers. change. Mr. President, you sit at the helm of a body On this occasion, I also wish to commend the role entrusted with the well-being and safekeeping of and positive contributions of your predecessor, humanity. We have gradually strayed from the noblest Mr. Srgjan Kerim, during the sixty-second session of of our goals and increasingly paid only lip service to the General Assembly. I would also like to express our problems that are well within our ability to solve. In deep appreciation for the efforts, positions and countless spheres, we have promised action. Let us initiatives of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. They now keep those promises for the good of our global reflect his foresight and pragmatism regarding the family. various issues before us and in all regions that are suffering crises and that pose threats to world peace, The poetic summation of the American poet including in particular in the Middle East region. Robert Frost is apt:

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I highly value the Secretary-General’s recognized that this was a prerequisite for allowing the understanding of the need to address the political and negotiations to resolve the conflict to lead to an end to humanitarian issues concerning the Palestinian people the occupation and the grave, historical injustices and our region, along with the important role that inflicted on our people over the long decades. continues to be played by various United Nations The participation of most brotherly Arab agencies, including the United Nations Relief and countries in the Annapolis conference was not merely a Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East symbolic gesture. On the contrary, their participation, (UNRWA), which continues to shoulder great burdens, in terms of both the level of attendance and the especially in the Gaza Strip and in the refugee camps substance of positions, was a reflection of their in the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. In the genuine desire to embrace and support the political absence of such a continuous, outstanding role, we process and to address it in real earnest on the basis of would have suffered even more severe and perilous the Arab peace initiative adopted at the Arab summit in crises than we have experienced to date. Beirut in 2002. This year, I should have liked to bear news of the Allow me, from this rostrum to recall once again achievement of a comprehensive agreement between us the special importance of the Arab peace initiative. I do and our Israeli neighbours, bringing an end to the this personally in order to draw attention to the Israeli occupation of our land since 1967 and to the significance of each of its platforms, because it suffering of the millions of our people living as represents a major joint Arab undertaking and offers a refugees and displaced persons in exile from their historic opportunity for us to achieve peace, security homeland. I believe that the entire world, with its and mutual recognition for all. differing alliances and trends, shares that desire with me, especially following the Annapolis conference late Indeed, it is strange to hear comments, which we last year and the relaunching of the political process. do not understand or accept, that are used to justify the That set the necessary guidelines for the advancement of continuing settlements in East Jerusalem and the rest of negotiations towards the conclusion of a comprehensive the occupied Palestinian territory and refer to the land and complete agreement on all final status issues. Such as if it were not occupied territory or as if peace were an agreement would lead to the realization of peace possible without an end to the occupation of all of the within our region and allow it to enter a qualitatively new Arab territories occupied since 1967, including the era of relations characterized by good-neighbourliness, occupied Syrian Golan and the Lebanese Sheba’a mutual recognition, security and open borders, and not Farms, and without an end to the occupation of East by walls and barriers. Jerusalem, the capital of our future Palestinian State and a city holy to hundreds of millions of the faithful I am certain that never in the history of the of the monotheistic religions. conflict in our region have so many countries gathered as those that attended the Annapolis conference or For the purpose of the noble and peaceful participated in the consensus that arose there. Those objectives of building of a new Middle East free of who met not only demanded vigorous action to destructive mindsets and irrational tendencies that run accelerate and advance negotiations towards the counter to the highest human values preached by all achievement of a final peace agreement, but also religions and creeds — a new Middle East free of explicitly emphasized the need to remove all of the weapons of mass destruction — we have been and obstacles that have continuously impeded the remain committed to international legitimacy. We negotiating process and cast doubt on its credibility, extend our hands for dialogue and negotiation to usefulness and ability to actually resolve all aspects of resolve the conflict in a way that provides all that is the conflict. The main obstacle I refer to is that of the required for coexistence and openness to the future so Israeli settlement campaign and its continuation we can build our societies and nations in accordance throughout the occupied Palestinian territory, with the aspirations of our peoples to progress and in particularly in East Jerusalem. the spirit of the times. All of the participants in Annapolis took a united, In that context, we express our full support for firm and unprecedented stand calling for the immediate the continuation of the indirect talks currently taking cessation of illegal settlement activities. It was place between Syria and Israel with the help of sisterly

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Turkey. We hope that the process will culminate in the As humankind celebrates the sixtieth anniversary achievement of justice, the implementation of of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human international resolutions and the affirmation of Rights, the conditions being endured by our people are international legitimacy. increasingly severe and complex. Our nation, which possesses only a small area of land, continues to suffer For our part, we will continue to strive to achieve the fragmentation and discontiguity of its cities and the maximum possible progress in the current villages as a result of more than 600 checkpoints and negotiations between us and Israel through this year, roadblocks on all main and secondary roads. There is benefiting from past experience and relying on the no precedent for that in modern history. The harshest desire of all our peoples to realize a genuine and and most painful of those barriers are those that have comprehensive peace that will end decades of surrounded occupied East Jerusalem, severing the link occupation and hostilities and result in the attainment between it and its Palestinian surroundings, not to of the two-State solution — the State of Palestine mention changing the Islamic and Christian character living alongside the State of Israel on the basis of the of our city. 1967 borders — and a just and agreed solution to the plight of the Palestinian refugees in accordance with Attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian civilians resolution 194 (III). In referring to the benefits of past have become daily occurrences. At the same time, experience, I wish to convey clearly that partial or ongoing tragedies strike every Palestinian family with interim solutions or the dropping or deferral of those the continuing detention and imprisonment of over core issues are unacceptable and unviable and will 11,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails. I know of no maintain the roots of the conflict, thus undermining situation in today’s world comparable to ours, where a any achievement on the road to peace. The solution people is subject to the detention of such large numbers must be comprehensive, complete, detailed and of its civilians and where prisons continue to be filled wholehearted. with more and more accused who are guilty only of wanting to be free and of envisioning a future that is The solution we aspire to must include a different from the reality of occupation, siege and the mechanism to ensure its full and faithful loss of hope. implementation pursuant to the timetable agreed upon. All that inevitably requires international supervision of Despite those harsh circumstances, our National the implementation of the solution, as well as a more Authority and governing institutions have exerted effective role for the international Quartet in every possible effort to improve our conditions in all safeguarding the solution we will reach and an fields, including the security, economic, education, effective guarantor role for the Security Council and health and cultural sectors. various other United Nations bodies. I wish to express our gratitude to our brothers in At this juncture, I would like to express our the Arab countries, to the General Secretariat of the appreciation for the role played by the United States League of Arab States, and to the whole international Administration, President George Bush and Secretary community for all the important assistance extended to of State Condoleezza Rice in advancing the our people and our Authority in all aspects of the negotiations and the peace process, as well as their endeavour to restore the Palestinian economy, provide efforts to remove the obstacles that stand in its way. I real opportunities for its advancement, and rebuild the also wish to commend the positions taken by the Arab, Palestinian security apparatus and the various Islamic and non-aligned countries, which have always institutions and agencies of the Palestinian Authority. taken firm stances in support of a just peace. I would In that regard, I wish to convey special thanks like to express our appreciation for the role played by and appreciation to all the envoys from other countries the European Union, which has supported our efforts in who have provided assistance in several fields, every possible way, and the role and positions of the particularly Mr. Tony Blair, the Quartet Special Envoy. Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China It is with pride that I can say that, even under those and Japan, as well as of our friends and colleagues in most difficult conditions we have been able to achieve Latin America and Africa who have always supported security, the rule of law and public order for most of the advancement and continuity of the political process.

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A/63/PV.11 our towns and districts, despite all the remaining responsibility before our entire people and before the obstacles we have to confront. Arab and international positions that reject this disintegration and division. However, we will continue to follow that same path with firm determination and resolve. In that In concluding my statement, I recall the words of connection, the Paris Donor’s Conference, followed by our great Palestinian poet, Mahmoud Darwish, whom the Bethlehem economic conference, were two special we recently lost and whose loss was that of a great occasions in support of our national economy, our cultural and humanitarian symbol and icon. Mahmoud financial and economic institutions and treasury, and Darwish glorified life and cherished his homeland, assistance to the Palestinian private sector, which has calling on our new generations to love life on their land unwaveringly borne heavy burdens over the past years and to preserve its continuity and to keep the torch and has not failed to develop and progress. always lit. Mahmoud Darwish said, There is no doubt that the ongoing siege of the “On this land there is something that deserves Gaza Strip, where unemployment is endemic, is life, on this land there was first the beginning and compounding the tragic humanitarian crisis there. It is the end — a land called Palestine — a name that unprecedented in scope and scale, and the was and is and will endure”. opportunities for education and medical care are The President (spoke in Spanish): I now call on scarce, punishing and causing the malnutrition of an Her Excellency Ursula Plassnik, Federal Minister for entire generation with all the consequent risks for the European and International Affairs of the Republic of future of the entire people. Austria. All of that is in addition to the transformation of Ms. Plassnik (Austria): These days, on our the Gaza Strip into a huge virtual prison holding nearly television screens, images of thousands of parents 1.5 million Palestinians. We have exerted all efforts to concerned about the health of their babies and children get the siege on Gaza lifted, this dear part of our remind us of what lies at the very heart of our work — homeland. In that regard, we express our deep building a better future for the coming generations, at appreciation for the role played by the brotherly Arab home as well as here in the United Nations. countries, especially Egypt, to alleviate the suffering and to help us save our people from the extremely Armed conflict, climate change, poverty, hunger difficult situation they find themselves in, including in and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction particular their efforts to end the division resulting are the bleak challenges we face today, together with from the bloody coup led by Hamas against Palestinian new global challenges such as increasing food and legitimacy more than a year ago. energy prices and financial turbulence. A sense of shared responsibility and true partnership based on As I have on more than one occasion, I would equality are the key qualities that must guide our like to reaffirm once again from this rostrum that we efforts to meet these challenges. will spare no effort to achieve Palestinian national reconciliation. We have already announced a All inhabitants of the global village have the right preliminary plan that opens the door for this as well as the duty to contribute to the well-being of reconciliation to be realized and the formation of an our community. At the global level, that needs to be independent, impartial Government that is acceptable done in the framework of an effective world to all, but that will not place us back under siege again. organization that enjoys the trust of States and This Government will prepare for the holding of Governments but also of societies and individual legislative and presidential elections. We will continue citizens. building a security apparatus based on professional A just and effective international order needs to tenets, with the support of Arab security. After the be based on rules equally applicable to every member, completion of those steps, it will be possible for us to big or small, strong or weak. Respect for the rule of proceed further towards strengthening our law is indispensable if we want to prevent conflicts and reconciliation and deepening the participation of all. If promote peace and sustainable development. Austria that is not actualized, whoever rejects those principles has therefore consistently promoted efforts to develop and does not conform with them must bear the international relations based on the principles of the

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Charter of the United Nations and all the other clear targets and establishing a network to share best instruments that form our international legal system. practices in combating violence against women. Three weeks ago, 130 human rights experts and Last year, the Women Leaders Network called on practitioners from around the world came together in the Secretary-General to appoint more women to Vienna 15 years after the World Conference on Human leadership positions in the United Nations, in particular Rights held in Vienna in 1993. They formulated in mediation and peacebuilding. I am pleased that the recommendations on how to overcome the gap between Secretary-General has since entrusted a number of human rights standards and the reality of their outstanding women with key positions both at implementation on the ground. Those recommendations Headquarters and in the field, and I encourage him to have been submitted to the General Assembly and the continue this policy. Human Rights Council, and I hope they will contribute With regard to Security Council resolution 1325 to the deliberations on the occasion of the sixtieth (2000) on women, peace and security, the European anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Union (EU) policy of targeted support for women in Rights on 10 December. and through peace missions could be extended to other One of the basic threats to the rule of law is regional organizations such as the African Union. To impunity. Today, international criminal justice, as assess the practical results of resolution 1325 (2000), I dispensed by the International Criminal Court as well propose a thorough review process on the occasion of as by the special tribunals established by the Security its tenth anniversary in 2010. Council, has become a major tool for bringing to Recent events in Georgia are a stark reminder that justice those responsible for war crimes and crimes the scourge of war still haunts our European against humanity. neighbourhood. The European Union is ready to work Nowadays, some speak about the “peace — together with the Organization for Security and justice dilemma”. I personally remain convinced that Cooperation in Europe, the Council of Europe and the peace and justice are complementary objectives, both United Nations so that Georgia can return to peace, all are equally essential. There can be no lasting peace internally displaced people can return safely and a without justice, and international justice will serve its lasting solution based on full respect for the purpose most fully and effectively if it helps societies sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia is advance reconciliation and overcome the wounds of the found. I also call upon the Security Council to decide past. As women and children are often the most on a timely prolongation of the United Nations vulnerable in our societies, they deserve our special Observer Mission in Georgia. attention in this context. As for the Western Balkans, I am heartened that No country, no society can succeed without we are moving from the crisis management phase to recognizing the contribution of women. Worldwide, the integration phase. Today, thanks to the stabilizing women are the politically and socially most relevant role of the EU, the peoples of the Western Balkans emerging power of the twenty-first century. Their enjoy peace. Their future lies in the European Union. contribution must be valued publicly, their Austria welcomes the progress recently achieved participation encouraged, their potential fully used. in Zimbabwe. We hope that this will become another There are countless success stories of women leaders lasting example of the capacity of Africa for the who make a difference in their communities as peaceful resolution of conflicts on its continent. businesswomen, mothers, teachers, farmers, workers, Regional ownership is the best option for success. peacemakers and lawmakers. Austria continues to actively support efforts to At the same time, we hear appalling reports from bring an end to decades of conflict in the Middle East. around the world of discrimination and violence Three months ago, we hosted a donor conference in against women. How can we speak of human rights for Vienna for the reconstruction of the Nahr el-Bared women as long as one out of every three women refugee camp in northern Lebanon in order to improve worldwide has been beaten or abused? It is the the fate of the Palestinian refugees there and to support responsibility of each and every Government to act on this. The United Nations must take the lead by setting

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A/63/PV.11 stability, the rule of law and economic development in best way forward. At the same time, it is indispensable Lebanon. that Iran fully complies with the relevant Security Council resolutions. In this context we commend and I commend the Israeli and Palestinian leadership strongly support the efforts of the IAEA Director for their commitment to dialogue and negotiations General, Mohamed El Baradei. despite repeated efforts by radical forces to undermine the process started in Annapolis nearly a year ago. Let me draw the Assembly’s attention to the new Ongoing settlements and expansion, however, put our partnership we developed and adopted at the Lisbon common vision in question. The two-State solution Summit in December 2007: the Joint Africa-European remains the only possible path towards a peaceful and Union Strategy based on the three aims of peace, prosperous Middle East that can provide lasting security and development. Without peace and security security to all its inhabitants. there can be no sustainable development, and there is no security without human security. Human trafficking, I remain convinced that in international relations as drugs, proliferation of weapons, unemployment and inside our own societies, we must always support crime — they all affect the very cohesion of our dialogue. Austria will continue her long-standing societies. commitment to the dialogue of cultures and religions with a clear focus on the contribution of religious leaders, In order to better address the challenges faced by women, young people, the media and educators. Africa, Austria, together with the Economic Community of West African States and the Southern With some 500,000 victims each year, small arms African Development Community, respectively, and light weapons are today’s real weapons of mass recently organized a conference on peace and security destruction. Africa is the continent most heavily in West Africa, in Ouagadougou, and a seminar on affected by this problem. Together with her African peace and development in Southern Africa, in partners, Austria works for real progress on the Johannesburg. destruction of small arms as well as on the fight against the illicit arms trade. We also cooperate in developing We need the turbo power of innovation to address suitable legal instruments. global challenges. Climate change is not only responsible for natural disasters but poses what is Austria is also deeply involved in establishing an perhaps the most serious threat to the achievement of international legally binding ban on cluster munitions. the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). For some The Convention on Cluster Munitions that we adopted small island States climate change and the resulting sea in Dublin this year is a milestone in the field of level rise are threats to their very existence. Austria disarmament and humanitarian law. Austria will sign therefore welcomes the initiative by the Pacific island the Convention in Oslo on 3 December 2008. I appeal States for a General Assembly resolution on the threat to all other countries to sign as soon as possible so that of climate change to international peace and security. this treaty can enter into force swiftly. Urgent action towards a global climate agreement by The need to prevent nuclear proliferation at a the end of 2009 is the only way forward. We also time when an increasing number of countries are propose to develop the United Nations Environment looking towards nuclear power as a means to produce Programme into a fully fledged World Environment energy calls for courageous and creative solutions. Organization. Furthermore, we support the creation of Austria has presented a proposal in the framework of a new International Renewable Energy Agency. Vienna the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the is a suitable location to host such an agency, as many International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that aims of its United Nations offices already deal with energy at the comprehensive multilateralization of the nuclear questions. fuel cycle. The goal is a fair system under which all Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger States who wish to receive nuclear fuel for an continues to be one of the main challenges of the exclusively peaceful use can do so under equal international community. At the midpoint towards conditions through the IAEA. 2015, success in achieving the Millennium With regard to the Iranian nuclear programme, we Development Goals has been uneven. While many are convinced that the double-track approach is the countries have made significant progress in attaining

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A/63/PV.11 some of the Goals, only a few are likely to reach all of Hunger, poverty, the high cost of oil and food, the them. Urgent and increased efforts by the international tragic consequences of climate change, terrorism, the community are, therefore, needed. The active urgent need to observe human rights worldwide, the contribution towards this global effort is a priority for trafficking of and trade in persons, drug trafficking and the Austrian Government. civil insecurity are, among other issues, matters that must lead us to focus our attention and our efforts. As a matter of urgency we also have to tackle the multiple and complex causes of the current global food At the same time, they are questions that arise crisis. We welcome the High-Level Task Force set up from the nature and functioning of our Organization by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, which aims to and that call for in-depth consideration so that we can create an international strategy for food security, and make this Organization more effective and democratic, we eagerly await the first concrete results. with sufficient guarantees, and so that all countries of the world represented here can have our interests taken Small and medium-sized countries have a specific into account, our voices heard and our will expressed interest in an international system based on effective in the most transparent and effective way possible. multilateralism and the rule of law. They form the backbone of the United Nations. They can make a For Nicaragua, an international system based on difference and act as a driving force on many issues the hegemony of a few over the majority is beneficial to the world community. unthinkable. Such an anachronistic system, unjust in its very essence, is the reason for the deep political, Since joining the United Nations more than economic and social inequality in the world. It is the 50 years ago, Austria has consistently worked for reason for the accelerated and advanced arms race led multilateral solutions to global challenges. Our by countries that have set themselves up as world candidature for a non-permanent seat on the Security referees in situations affecting us all. It is the reason Council is one expression of our determination to serve for wars of aggression that behind the smokescreen of the world Organization. That is the most important the globalization of democracy and the promotion of responsibility that can be entrusted to a Member of the certain freedoms, illegally and illegitimately United Nations. We stand ready to assume that appropriate scarce energy and natural resources and responsibility and ask Members for their support. We lead to the political subjugation and grief of entire pledge to work for common solutions to our common peoples deprived of their freedom, national global challenges in a sense of true partnership. independence and their right to their own development. The President (spoke in Spanish): I now call on The international security situation has become His Excellency Mr. Samuel Santos López, Minister for increasingly volatile in various parts of the world, Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Nicaragua. bringing new threats to international peace and security Mr. Santos López (Nicaragua) (spoke in and to peoples’ desire for peace. We must act Spanish): On behalf of the delegation of the Republic intelligently, cautiously and resolutely to ensure that of Nicaragua — cradle of Rubén Darío and Augusto C. new fratricidal wars do not assail the world. Therefore, Sandino, the home of a people firmly committed to we agree with the priority given by the President of our their principle, their efforts for a better world and their General Assembly to actions aimed at achieving calling for universal peace — I extend the brotherly comprehensive and complete disarmament and nuclear greeting of our President, Comandante Daniel Ortega control. Saavedra, and of all our authorities and citizens. As a country that has fought and continues to Listening to the words of the representatives of fight for its independence, sovereignty and the States taking part in this sixty-third session of the self-determination, and as the victim of military and General Assembly, we find that we have a common foreign political intervention several times in its vision of the major serious problems affecting all history, Nicaragua understood early on that there was humankind today. In particular, we agree on the urgent no greater value than freedom. Our national heroes, need to act as one in facing those problems and solving those who fought in our wars for freedom, are taintless them successfully, once and for all, for the benefit of witnesses to the determination of the Nicaraguan those who inhabit planet Earth. people to have a free homeland or death.

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The persistence of poverty and inequality in the that will contribute to strengthening the economy of world today cannot be justified. Hunger and poverty our countries, allow us to achieve the Millennium are sapping economic and social progress for future Development Goals, and end the criminalization of generations. Despite the efforts made in recent years, migration by some receiving countries. the gap between the rich and poor has continued to We must ensure the maximum possible economic grow, and millions of people now suffer from hunger complementarity among all countries of the world. The and live in poverty or in extreme poverty. It is ethically developing countries are working hard on that issue in and politically crucial to put an end to that long- the context of South-South cooperation. We note the standing injustice to so many human beings. successes that have been achieved in very little time in The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) some regions, such as the agreements between some await greater impetus from countries, primarily those Latin American and Caribbean countries. with larger economic resources, and from international The Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas has financial organizations, which are also called upon to become a comprehensive platform for cooperation for a contribute to their accomplishment. Those countries number of our countries, complementing their and bodies must clearly demonstrate their genuine economies. The complementarity we have built seeks political will to achieve all the MDGs and that they are to create advantages for our raw materials and not merely paying lip service to them. agricultural products, as well as for our fishing, It was established in the Monterrey Consensus, mineral and energy resources, to mention but a few. We adopted at the International Conference on Financing need complementarity, solidarity and the accelerated for Development, that the Bretton Woods institutions, transformation of purely economic relationships based the World Trade Organization and the United Nations on a sense of shared responsibility and unity in the face must recognize the needs and interests of developing of the major challenges of the present and the future. countries and make them central to the work of the Nothing could be further from that spirit than financing for development programme to be reviewed unbridled capitalism, which is speculative and in Doha this year. inefficient and has led the world economy into a By and large, we can say that most donors are not serious crisis the effects of which, according to some honouring the pledges they made to increase their aid experts, we are only just beginning to feel, as we have unconditionally. United Nations calculations on the seen recently in the United States financial system. total official development assistance needed between Just a few hours ago, the President of the World 2010 and 2015 in order to achieve the MDGs amount Bank, Robert Zoellick, told the world press that the to some $130 billion per year. However, global arms United States financial crisis will have a severe effect expenditures in 2007 alone reached some $1.399 on development assistance, primarily that earmarked trillion, according to the Stockholm International Peace for the poorest countries. In other words, the crisis in Research Institute. Today more than ever, the the financial system will have serious repercussions on commitment to allocating at least 0.7 per cent of gross our peoples. The same solutions being sought to avoid national income for official development assistance collapse will need to include measures to ensure that without condition must be honoured so that developing our peoples are not affected by a crisis that we have not countries can have these resources available for our brought on ourselves but that we may pay for with national priorities. worsening poverty and a further delay in our Nicaragua reiterates that, in order to consolidate development. our efforts in the coming years to eradicate poverty, We have also seen that multilateralism in extreme poverty, hunger and unemployment, we must international relations is a means to achieve mutually first eradicate the unjust relationships among States. respectful relationships and peaceful coexistence and Those injustices can be felt most tangibly in unfair and to implement development policies based on our own imbalanced trade relations between the rich and the realities. In that conviction, we have been actively poor countries. committed to the principles and objectives of the Non- My country calls for a fair international market Aligned Movement. The reconciliation and national and fair, democratic and balanced international trade unity Government of Nicaragua, presided over by

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President Daniel Ortega Saavedra, is firmly committed all a lesson in democracy by defending the democracy to that vision of the world and is working hand in hand that they have gained after years of humiliating with the people to rebuild a country that, after almost marginalization. two decades of neoliberalism following a decade of Once again, Nicaragua denounces the cruel unjust war that was firmly condemned by the blockade maintained against Cuba in violation of International Court of Justice, was in a state of international law. That pathological obsession against political, social and economic collapse. Cuba seems to justify all actions and ignores that Our Government seeks to overcome poverty and country’s own problems in combating the terrorism to transform Nicaragua through a new alternative that has been brought from this country to that model of development that is more just and a new Caribbean island. The five Cuban patriots who have power structure that is truly democratic. Citizens will been jailed in Florida for attempting to prevent terrorist play a leading role in carrying out that task and will acts against the Cuban people should be set free. directly redefine the path of the country in line with Although it may seem untrue, the process of their own interests. decolonization is not over. Entire peoples are still We propose to improve the quality of life of our oppressed and denied their right to independence and people by basing our policies on principles to defend to self-determination. We salute and stand side by side the environment and nature and to conserve our natural with the people of Puerto Rico and the Western Sahara, heritage. We must establish a participatory new world with the Polisario Front, and with Argentina in environmental order with clearly set goals that puts an opposition to the occupation of the Malvinas Islands. end to the commercial and utilitarian exploitation of We also firmly reiterate our call for freedom for the our planetary resources that, as has now been proven, Cypriot people and for putting an end to the partition are being depleted at an uncontrollable rate. Those of that great nation. efforts must also include the commitment of the We support a comprehensive and peaceful countries that are the largest emitters of the greenhouse solution in the Middle East that will end once and for gases that have resulted in global warming and have all the horrors of war and allow the Palestinian and already had other negative and irreversible effects on Israeli people to live as brothers and sisters, and in the planet. which the Palestinian people can finally enjoy all of We are also focusing on the development of food their rights and have a State of their own. sovereignty as a means of feeding our people through We are convinced that, if we are to achieve the our own domestic efforts and through unconditional noble objectives embraced by our Organization, we solidarity with brotherly peoples. At the same time, need the true political will to devote time and energy to food security will guarantee that every Nicaraguan has reviewing our own house. That is even more important reliable access to nutritious food at a fair cost so as to in a world of constant change and crisis and requires lead a healthy and active life. each of us — our peoples and our States — to be active We are developing programmes to eradicate participants in our own future. As has been said before, hunger and profiteering. We are providing low-cost we must work together to democratize the United seeds, stoves and butane tanks for low-income Nations. We are pleased to welcome the proposal of the families. We are also supporting small businesses and President of the General Assembly to hold a high-level working for the establishment of a bank to encourage dialogue on the democratization of the Organization, in production. which we would consider one by one the pressing problems of and between its various bodies. We are For Nicaragua, the word “solidarity” is not an prepared to play a constructive role in that necessary empty concept, but rather the cement of the society we and urgent dialogue. wish to build. With that in mind, I cannot fail to stress at this general debate the solidarity of my people with The times our peoples are facing and the the Government and people of Bolivia, who have been responsibilities we have here in this house will be subject to unacceptable and ongoing attempts to decisive for millions of people, now and for future destabilize the country. The indigenous people of generations. It is urgent that we find points of Bolivia, led by President Evo Morales, have taught us

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A/63/PV.11 convergence so that we can work together to meet the law — in order to govern human relations and to challenges of the times and our responsibilities. mediate conflicts through peaceful means. More recently, humankind has developed democracy to that The United Nations Charter is a fundamental end and, in particular, in order to structure power and reference point to guide our action. In respecting the authority peacefully. Those are the solutions that our Charter and ensuring that it is respected, we are species has developed over the millenniums, and it is respecting ourselves. Its principles must prevail over difficult to imagine another alternative. selfish and petty interests. Above all, the future of humankind is at stake. The question before us now is whether we have the political will to apply democracy at the Nicaragua reaffirms its call for peace and international level, beginning by democratizing the humanism to contribute to a more just, more humane United Nations and by strengthening international law and more united world in which individual destinies, within the framework of United Nations institutions. interconnected and inspired by their love of justice and That is the solution. That is what will overcome the freedom, come together in the universal task of chronically postponed solutions to problems and help creating a world that is better for all. us to deal efficiently with urgent new problems. It is As was said yesterday at the high-level event on possible. Why not? We are speaking of human the Millennium Development Goals, the unjust institutions that we ourselves can change. The question international order in which we live must change if it is is whether or not we have the political will to do so. I to be credible, legitimate and effective. Fundamental propose that we work together at this sixty-third decisions cannot continue to be taken by one, seven or session of the General Assembly to build that political eight stakeholders and without the participation of the will through increasingly broader progressive vast majority of humankind. Solutions to this situation consensus. are well known and well accepted, at least in principle. The meeting rose at 2.10 p.m. Through the millenniums and centuries, our species has developed institutions — and above all,

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